Laughter, music and applause echoed through Ward 3D at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as nine young cancer survivors walked down a red carpet before ringing a ceremonial bell—a simple act that symbolized the end of one of the toughest journeys of their lives.
The historic event marked the hospital’s first-ever Bell Ringing Ceremony, introducing a globally recognised tradition to Kenya’s largest referral hospital and signalling a new approach to supporting children beyond their medical treatment.
For the nine children who rang the bell, the ceremony celebrated more than the completion of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. It recognised months, and in some cases years of courage, resilience and determination alongside the families, doctors and nurses who stood by them throughout the journey.
Held in Ward 3D, the hospital’s Paediatric Haemato-Oncology Unit, the celebration transformed the usually clinical environment into one filled with joy. The young survivors walked a specially laid red carpet before taking turns ringing the victory bell as healthcare workers, parents and caregivers cheered them on.
Music filled the ward while children danced, cut cake and enjoyed sweet treats provided by partners, including the Bravehearts Foundation. For a few hours, hospital routines gave way to celebration as every child who completed treatment became the centre of attention.
While bell-ringing ceremonies have become common in many leading cancer centres around the world, they had never before been formally introduced at KNH’s paediatric oncology unit.
The initiative reflects the hospital’s growing recognition that treating cancer extends beyond medicine. Emotional recovery, psychological healing and celebrating milestones are increasingly becoming essential components of comprehensive patient care.
For children, surviving cancer often means enduring repeated hospital admissions, painful procedures, long periods away from school and friends, and uncertainty about the future. The bell offered a powerful way to acknowledge those sacrifices.
The Bell Ringing Ceremony is one of the most recognised traditions in cancer care worldwide.
The practice traces its roots to 1996 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
The tradition began when Rear Admiral Irve Le Moyne, a United States Navy officer receiving radiation treatment for head and neck cancer, introduced a brass ship’s bell into the hospital.
Drawing inspiration from a long-standing naval custom in which sailors ring a bell to signal the successful completion of a difficult mission or watch, Le Moyne rang the bell after finishing his final treatment session.
The symbolic act quickly resonated with patients and healthcare professionals. Within a few years, hospitals across North America, Europe, Australia and other parts of the world had adopted the practice.
Today, ringing the bell has become a universal symbol of hope, resilience and survival.
At many cancer centres, patients traditionally ring the bell three times before reading a short poem that states:
“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.”
Although practices vary from one hospital to another, the message remains the same: recognising a major milestone in a patient’s cancer journey.
One of the ceremony’s greatest strengths lies in the hope it offers to patients who are still receiving treatment.
Healthcare professionals say those visible moments of success can provide emotional strength during periods when treatment feels overwhelming.
The event also honoured the dedication of the Haemato-Oncology team at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Behind every bell rung stood a multidisciplinary team of paediatric oncologists, nurses, laboratory specialists, pharmacists, nutritionists, counsellors and support staff who worked tirelessly to guide each child through treatment.
The introduction of the Bell Ringing Ceremony comes as KNH continues strengthening its oncology services through improved technology, specialised treatment and patient-centred care.
Alongside investments in modern cancer treatment equipment aimed at reducing waiting times and improving access to care, the hospital is also placing greater emphasis on patients’ emotional and psychological well-being.
