07/27/2015

Ringing in Celebration of Survivorship

Michelle Chavez recently celebrated the end of her breast cancer treatments at the Seacoast Cancer Center. She wanted to join other survivors nationwide by ringing a bell to mark this milestone, but our center did not have one.

That changed this summer when Michelle returned with a bell donated to us by the officers and crew of the USS Scranton submarine, including her husband HMC Christopher Boyce and Commander Ronald Stowe. She was the first to ring it, reciting the traditional poem to mark the end of her treatments:

Ring this bell
Three times well
Its toll to clearly say,
My treatment's done
This course is run
And I am on my way!

All of our patients, together with their family, friends, and caregivers, will now be able participate in this hopeful ritual. Thank you to Michelle and to the officers and crew of the USS Scranton for this wonderful gift.