THE clock bell of St Paul’s Cathedral tolled for more than three hours on Tuesday to remember the estimated 250 children who die from cancer each year in the UK.
The cathedral’s largest clock bell, Great Tom, rang from 8.30 a.m. until midday as part of the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Charity’s appeal, “Help Build it. Help Beat it”, which is fundraising £300 million for a new children’s cancer centre.
It has become traditional for GOSH patients who have completed their cancer treatments to ring a bell to mark the milestone. The charity said in a statement that it had wanted to give a “bell ring moment” to those families and parents of children who were never able to do so.
Adam and his family were among 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 be able to stand here in St Paul’s Cathedral, ringing the bell for her alongside others who have faced the same loss, is so important and such a special way of remembering our beautiful girl, reminding the world that she lived and that she will never be forgotten.”
The Deputy Director of Public Fundraising for GOSH Charity, Gabi Field, said: “The end-of-treatment bell is a powerful symbol of hope for many children and families. Yet, for too many, that moment never comes. By ringing the bells of St Paul’s throughout the morning, we are honouring the children lost to cancer each year, ensuring they are not forgotten.”
The bell ringing also marked the beginning 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 numerous significant moments in our nation’s history, so we are deeply honoured that bereaved families will chime bells in the North West Tower in memory of their children.
“We pray that this will provide these families with an opportunity to reflect and to remember, and that there will be a future when every child facing a cancer diagnosis can have the chance to ring their own end of treatment bell.”
GOSH is raising funds to help build an expanded children’s cancer centre which is due to open in 2028.
