New chemotherapy bell helping patients call time on cancer

Royal Oldham Hospital haematology ward staff with the end of treatment bell

A special new end of treatment bell installed on the haematology ward at the Royal Oldham Hospital is helping cancer patients to call time on cancer and celebrate the end of their chemotherapy treatment.

Thanks to UK-wide charity, End of Treatment Bells, cancer patients can now celebrate reaching the end of their treatment by ringing the bell, which has been placed at the centre of the ward.

Lindsey Dawson, Macmillan lead chemotherapy nurse at the Royal Oldham Hospital, said: “Undertaking chemotherapy treatment can be a frightening and emotional experience for many patients. The end of treatment bell is a symbol of hope. It gives patients something to aim for and represents a milestone moment for many people.

“We are delighted to receive the bell, which has been kindly donated by the End of Treatment Bells charity. The bell is such a simple idea, but the positivity and hope it generates amongst patients and staff on the ward is fantastic and it means so much to everyone.”

The End of Treatment Bells charity was set up in 2014 by Tracey and Phil Payton after their daughter, Emma, had been diagnosed with cancer in 2013. Emma had been diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer. Part of her treatment meant travelling to Oklahoma for Proton Beam Therapy, where she got to ring a bell when she finished her treatment.

In August 2014, Mr and Mrs Payton used their family’s experience to launch ‘End of Treatment Bells’, a charity which has since introduced over 148 bells into hospitals across the UK for children and adults with cancer to ring after their gruelling treatment.

Bells are usually given to hospitals free of charge. Each bell costs approximately £145 to make and distribute and every penny the charity fund raise is spent on funding more bells.

The charity relies on sponsorship to fund new bells and many families who have successfully received treatment show their appreciation by donating funds to the charity.

The End of Treatment Bells charity is part of a registered charity (The Maria Watt Foundation – charity number 1118733.

To donate text to 70070 using the code EOTB48 (space) followed by an amount including the pound sign (£1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10).