A Path Through

On December 1, 2022 at 5:06 pm, three hundred and thirteen days from the day that I first heard the words Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, I rang the bell.

For those who are unfamiliar with the bell and it’s significance, please allow me to explain.

The bell is rung when a cancer patient has successfully completed their cancer treatment. It is a symbol of the fight being complete.

I have been focused on ringing this bell since January 31, 2022.

With each radiation session, I have walked by the bell knowing my time was coming. My chance to hear the beautiful tone of victory and follow in the footsteps of so many other cancer warriors who have walked the path ahead of me.

On this cold December afternoon, with my family surrounding me, I finally rang the bell and wept. The sound was so clear, so beautiful, and it echoed through the nearly empty corridors of the first floor of the Cancer Center filling them with a joyful sound. The tears I shed were ones of relief and sheer happiness knowing I actually completed the journey.

The inscription on the bell reads as follows….Ring this bell, Three times well, It’s toll to clearly say, My treatment is done, This time is run, And I am on my way. The bell has been rung…and with that I step on to the final portion of my path through this breast cancer journey….recovery and celebrating the second chance I have been given. What a wonderful path to be on.