A 'kind and courageous' six-year-old girl has become one of the first to ring a special bell at Queen Elizabeth Hospital to mark the end of her cancer treatment.
Bonnie Meehan-Lysandrou was a patient on the Tiger Ward of the Woolwich hospital after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at the age of four.
The six-year-old has been receiving chemotherapy treatment on Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust's children's cancer unit and at The Royal Marsden Hospital for two years now.
But on July 8, Bonnie was finally able to ring a special end-of-treatment bell in a outdoor ceremony celebrating her triumph.
And she arrived at QEH in style, rocking up in a limousine where she was greeted with cheers and applause by her family and the Tiger Ward staff who treated her.
The event went ahead thanks to 'End of Treatment Bells', a charity which helps young people celebrate milestones in their cancer journey, after they donated an additional mobile bell to the Tiger Ward which can be taken outdoors.
Indoor celebrations were paused due to Covid-19 visiting restrictions, so the newly donated bell has made a big difference to families and people like Bonnie who are now able to ring the symbolic bell.
It was a momentous day for Bonnie and her family, and Bonnie's mum Louise said they would be "forever grateful" to the staff at the hospital.
Louise said: “Thank you to everyone on Tiger Ward for your kindness, compassion and wonderful care you provided for Bonnie.
"You all became like family to us, and we will always hold a special place in our hearts for you. We are forever grateful and will never forget the love and support you gave us.”
Emily Walton, Interim Lead Paediatric Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist said: “We were so thrilled to be able to celebrate with Bonnie and her family and that she could have this special moment during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Bonnie has shown such courage, strength and kindness throughout her treatment, and we are so proud that she has rung the bell.”
“Thank you to the End of Treatment Bell Charity for supplying us with an additional bell. On Tiger Ward the end of treatment is always such a remarkable achievement, and we think it is important to recognise the journey that both the child and young person and their family have been on.”
To find out more about the charity please visit the End of Treatment Bell website.
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