Cancer patients ring the bell to close a chapter in treatment

By Karen McNew
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: October 15, 2008

Joann Menefee pictured in pink has fought breast cancer and continues to help others who are going through treatment through her volunteer work in the Rocky Mount area and beyond.

While October is technically breast cancer awareness month, her mission extends to all cancer patients.  Today a bell was dedicated at Blue Ridge Cancer Care in Franklin County. 

This is no ordinary bell.  As patients go through round after round of chemotherapy they may eye the office bell for encouragement.  Patients ring the bell on their last day of chemo.  Joann says as she endured treatment after treatment all she could think about was the day when she would get to ring the bell.

She along with others got together to dedicate a bell for the Franklin County office.

My father just had an invasive surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and I know his chemo treatments wiped him out week after week.  I know how glad he was to get through that final visit.

If you are battling cancer or a loved one is battling cancer, I hope you get to ring “the bell” soon.