There are two pivotal moments for a breast cancer patient: hearing a cancer-free diagnosis and ringing the bell on the last day of treatment. This bell, unlike the bells on trolleys, timers, bicycles or even boxing rings, has become a universally recognized sound for marking the end of a significant struggle.
It means more than just noise; ringing it reflects the hopes and victories of current and newly diagnosed patients alike. This bell’s sound is unique; it’s sweeter because it carries a story — yours. For a breast cancer patient, ringing the bell is not just a sound; it marks the journey through the past, the present and the future.
The bell represents the past
A life lived before a diagnosis looks different from the one lived afterward.
Before diagnosis, you moved through the day without a second thought. It was easy to make plans, because nothing forced you to question whether you would have to cancel them.
Somewhere along the way, we learn how to present ourselves: We build our lives in ways that shape how others see us. We choose friendships based on what we already share, and we form circles that feel natural and safe.
We love friends and family, as those relationships sustain and guide us, yet we maintain individuality. We communicate with the world as we see fit, giving special priority to the people, things and ideas we value most.
We create a self that exists alongside the people we’ve drawn close, even as we let those relationships shape us.
Before breast cancer, it’s possible to see life superficially without the need to see a bigger, deeper picture.
Ringing the bell after treatment reminds you that nothing stays the same.
It represents the present
Ringing the bell represents victory! It represents the ending of an era that tried to claim your life. The sound grabs the attention of those nearby, making a statement that something big is happening. The bell signifies the heart of the fight within you and provides an example to others.
In the present, the sound of the bell reminds others that while the journey isn’t over, we are making strides toward its end. As you continue to see medical professionals and put the pieces of your life back together, you will remember the bell’s sound, and it will help you focus on healing.
The bell represents the now; what’s currently going on in your life. One of the beautiful things about cancer is that it isn’t the only thing that’s happening. I understand how consuming cancer is, but life is continuing to unfold, and you’re a part of it.
It may sound ordinary to some, but to a breast cancer warrior, it’s the sweetest sound. The sound of the bell represents a new day dawning. Like a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon to become a beautiful butterfly, you are transforming too. You are emerging into something beautiful!
It represents the future
How can the bell represent the future? It screams the possibility of what can and will be. It represents an era that’s finally complete. As you heal, recover and piece your life back together, you get to decide how that life looks. Is there a degree you’ve always wanted? Do you have a different perspective on life?
Though hearing the ringing bell after treatment is sweet, it may provoke fear. You don’t know what’s ahead, and the unknown can cause anxiety. Cancer is another bump on the road of life. I’ll tell you what someone told me: “The world is your oyster!” Now granted, they told me that as a young adult, but the concept still applies to those fighting cancer.
An oyster’s pearls are created from pressure and persistence; that’s what cancer has done. As newly recovered and healed, there are still opportunities beyond what you can see. This is your opportunity to rebuild your life without being oppressed by the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Before breast cancer, you were you; after breast cancer, you are the new and improved you. Your thinking has changed, and your point of view has changed; those things that held space in your life may now hold a different space. Ringing the bell after breast cancer treatment is the sweetest sound because it shows that you are still alive, you are an overcomer, and most of all, you beat breast cancer; it did not beat you.
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