For whom the bell tolls

MAMOU -- The bell rung again and again.
Those who walked up to ring the newly mounted bell on the wall were young and old, black and white, male and female. The individuals served as a true representation of just how the disease of cancer doesn’t discriminate.
For the more than 50 people that were inside the Frank P. Savoy Cancer Center on Wednesday afternoon, the ringing of the bell is a symbol of hope for all those people that have survived or are trying to survive the disease that has claimed so many friends and family members.
“Today is a celebration of you,” said Dr. Tanyanika Phillips, Savoy Cancer Center’s oncologist. “We are just so thankful and grateful for you. We’ve had the pleasure and honor to serve you.
“Ringing the bell is about celebrating a moment in your lives that you can remember. Ringing that bell is an important milestone.”
The Savoy Cancer Center has been providing radiation and oncology services for local residents since 2001. Despite aiding hundreds, if not thousands, of people with cancer treatments, the center lacked one inspirational instrument, a bell for patients to ring at the end of their treatment.
That all changed on Wednesday.
The first patient to ring the bell, which was hand crafted by students at Ville Platte High School, was Elton resident Susie Bond, who has now been cancer free for two and half years.
“It made me feel special that God gave me another chance to live,” Bond said.
Eunice resident Albertha D. Trosper was up next and the 70-year-old couldn’t help but have a smile on her face when she rang the bell.
“This bell symbolizes the courage to fight the disease,” Trosper said.
Willie Shillow was all smiles as well.
The Mamou resident received treatment at the center while he battled leukemia. Shillow expressed just how much he was grateful to be alive.
“It is been a real blessing to me,” Shillow said. “I’m so glad to even still be here right now.”
From those who have been cancer free for a mere few weeks to those who have no trace of the disease for seven years, patient after patient stepped up and proudly rang the bell, as each survivor talked about never losing hope.
For those doctors and personnel at Savoy Cancer Center, the sound of that bell being rung is one they hope to hear again and again.
“Dr. Frank Savoy had a dream of building a facility that can treat people locally,” Savoy CNO Lauren Manuel said. “That dream continues today. The ringing of the bell marks the end of each patient’s journey and hopefully this will start a new tradition.”