Four-year-old girl celebrates end of cancer treatment with bell ringing on Wrexham Children’s Ward

A four-year-old girl is the first patient to celebrate the end of her cancer treatment by ringing a new ‘End of Treatment’ bell at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Friends, family and staff from Children’s Ward gathered to celebrate Evelyn’s happy moment where she read a poem and rang the bell with the help of her parents and baby sister.

Evelyn Taylor was diagnosed in Wrexham with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia coming up to her second birthday.

Now after two years of treatment and chemotherapy, which was split by Alderhey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool and Wrexham Maelor, she is now in remission.

Ringing the ‘End of Treatment’ bell is a symbolic act specifically to celebrate the end of cancer treatment.

Clic Sargent nurse Jude Edwards applied for the bell because Evelyn’s parents Liam and Ruth Taylor wanted her to have the bell ringing ceremony in Wrexham as Evelyn’s care was shared between Wrexham and Alderhey.

Mum, Ruth Taylor from Penyffordd, said: “It’s overwhelming, we are relieved to get to the end. It teaches you not to take anything for granted.

“Now we just want to make up for lost time with things that she has missed while she was having treatment.

“Everyone has been so kind, so nice and they always make her feel special in Wrexham. We are really grateful for her care from the NHS and from Wrexham Maelor Hospital.”

Senior sister, Rebecca Morris said: “We’ve had the end of treatment bell put in in Wrexham because Evelyn and her family felt that although Evelyn had her treatment in Alderhey, they also came here for treatment and they wanted to celebrate with us as well.

“We got in touch with the charity and they kindly offered to sponsor one here so Evelyn has been ringing it today as our first patient who has finished her treatment.

“We are delighted she is very well now and it is a privilege to be part of a team that helps make children better.”

The charity ‘End of Treatment Bells’ kindly donated the bell to Children’s Ward.