Re-imagining the ringing of a bell in cancer treatment
Ringing a bell at the end of cancer treatment is a well-known tradition at many cancer centres, including the UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and a joyous moment for patients and their caregivers to mark the end of a key milestone.
However, for some patients who may never be able to complete treatment, or who are on life-long medications, the bell becomes an unattainable goal, and even a source of distress.
Venitta Outar, who is being treated for leukemia at Princess Margaret, asked staff at the Princess Margaret if they would consider re-imagining the bell-ringing tradition, and expand it so patients could honour other moments in their treatment.
She got her wish on May 1 when she became the first patient to ring the newly installed bell in the Malignant Hematology Day Unit — a bell that her family donated.
"Ringing the bell in the area I was treated in feels like I am closing this chapter in my life," says Venitta. "Celebrating with the nurses who took care of me is so lovely. It's a full circle moment."
Diagnosed two years ago at 20, Venitta still has some health obstacles ahead of her and will continue to be monitored at the cancer centre every three months. But she is back at university studying health sciences, living on campus and able to pick up her life where she left off.
"The bell can be rung not just for the end of cancer treatment but also to commemorate other moments, including another year of living with illness or finishing a specific treatment regimen," she says.
Venitta worked closely with the Patient and Family Experience Committee and the Cancer Care Quality & Innovation team, who agreed to conduct a survey of patients and staff about the use of the bell.
"We wanted to be supportive of patients without causing unnecessary harm and provide dignity, respect and compassion for all patients," says Alyssa Macedo, Cancer Care Quality & Innovation Manager.
The survey found more than 90 per cent of patient respondents, and 88 per cent of staff, agreed patients should be given a chance to ring the bell/gong with family, friends and their health care providers. Sixty per cent of patients agreed patients should have the option to ring a bell or bang a gong for any key event they want to celebrate, including making a challenging treatment choice.
"There is a word in Inuk,
Nuannarpoq, which means the taking of extravagant pleasure in being alive," one patient wrote in the survey response. "Let's celebrate more extravagant pleasure.
"Let's also, after the bell ringing, help people live with cancer."
Going forward, additional bells will be added at the Princess Margaret, including in the Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Clinic and on the main floor for more general use. The bells will be placed in semi-private areas close to health care teams. The pilot project will be evaluated after six months to a year.
Prior to the installation of the new bell, there was a bell inside the Systemic Therapy and Autologous Transplant Day Hospital in private treatment areas and a gong in the public waiting room in Radiation Medicine.
Venitta's newly christened "Bell of Hope" symbolizes purpose, inspiration and courage for patients, their families and staff.
Annual ICAIR event brings people together to network, learn and be inspired
The annual International Conference on Aging, Innovation & Rehabilitation (ICAIR) hosted by UHN's KITE Research Institute with significant input and participation from clinical, research and academic partners from around the world, was held earlier this month at the historic Carlu in downtown Toronto.
The 2025 edition of the conference, which drives discovery, collaboration and invention in the health care, rehabilitation and age-tech sectors, attracted hundreds of attendees from 23 universities in six countries. In addition to talks ranging from augmented reality research to technologial advances in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and how housing plays a role in disability and the health care system, there were panel discussions on a range of topics and more than 50 exhibitors showcasing their unique initiatives.
Tracey McGillivray was the big winner, taking home the $25,000 ICAIR Power Play Innovative Start-Up Award. She was inspired to make RAYMEX, a lift built into a walker, when her father began falling regularly at home and she was unable to find a product to help solve the problem.
Tracey co-founded Axtion Independence Mobility and created RAYMEX, which has a seat that lowers to the floor, allowing people to get themselves back up after they fall, safely transfer to bed or the toilet, and pick things off the floor. It also helps people engage in hobbies such as gardening.
Tracey was one of 12 researchers and entrepreneurs who won awards at the conference for their groundbreaking ideas, science and start-ups. Dr. Milos R. Popovic, ICAIR organizing committee chair and KITE Director, presented the awards on the last day of the event.
The other winners included:
The Power Play Pitch Innovative Start-Up Competition
The Power Play Pitch Innovative Concept Competition
- First Place: Kulmanak Bajaj from Wonder Guard
- Second Place: Nevena Musikic from Auryx
- Third Place: Tiange Li from Urotech
Three Minute Talk (3MT) Competition
- First Place: Damian M. Manzone, for "Is augmented reality a viable option for at-home hand rehabilitation? Assessing perspectives from individuals with cervical spinal cord injury."
- Second Place: Joana Dilipkumar, "Investigating the effect of capsaicin-induced central sensitization on contralateral motor unit excitation."
- Third Place: Lianna Montanari, "Using a spatial navigation task to identify preclinical cognitive decline."
Scientific Spotlight Series
- First place (Paper of the year): Marc Powell, ReachNeuro Inc
- Second place: David Moses, UC San Francisco
- Third place: Behrang Keshavarz, KITE Research Institute
