THE clock bell of St Paul’s Cathedral tolled for greater than three hours on Tuesday to recollect the estimated 250 children who die from cancer annually within the UK.
The cathedral’s largest clock bell, Great Tom, rang from 8.30 a.m. until midday as a part of the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Charity’s appeal, “Help Build it. Help Beat it”, which is fundraising £300 million for a latest children’s cancer centre.
It has change into traditional for GOSH patients who’ve accomplished their cancer treatments to ring a bell to mark the milestone. The charity said in an announcement that it had wanted to provide a “bell ring moment” to those families and fogeys of kids who were never capable of accomplish that.
Adam and his family were amongst them. His two-year-old daughter, Orla, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a rare cancerous brain tumour. She underwent multiple surgeries and months of chemotherapy at GOSH, and died in August 2023.
Standing in St Paul’s, ringing the bell for Orla, was “incredibly emotional”, he said afterwards. “To have the ability to face here in St Paul’s Cathedral, ringing the bell for her alongside others who’ve faced the identical loss, is so vital and such a special way of remembering our beautiful girl, reminding the world that she lived and that she’s going to never be forgotten.”
The Deputy Director of Public Fundraising for GOSH Charity, Gabi Field, said: “The end-of-treatment bell is a robust symbol of hope for a lot of children and families. Yet, for too many, that moment never comes. By ringing the bells of St Paul’s throughout the morning, we’re honouring the youngsters lost to cancer annually, ensuring they aren’t forgotten.”
The bell ringing also marked the start of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is held every September.
Speaking beforehand, the canon precentor at St Paul’s Cathedral, Canon Philip Banks, said: “Great Tom has tolled to mark quite a few significant moments in our nation’s history, so we’re deeply honoured that bereaved families will chime bells within the North West Tower in memory of their children.
“We pray that this can provide these families with a possibility to reflect and to recollect, and that there will probably be a future when every child facing a cancer diagnosis can have the possibility to ring their very own end of treatment bell.”
GOSH is raising funds to assist construct an expanded children’s cancer centre which is on account of open in 2028.
