'The Bell' Fund
What is 'The Bell' Fund?It started with a bell at the Royal Victoria Hospital. With every ring, a cancer patient signals their final chemotherapy or radiation treatment to the delight of staff, other patients and their loved ones.
‘The Bell’ Fund is now taking the next step in collaboration with Cedars and Cedars CanSupport with the launch of a Comfort Kit program.
What is the Comfort Kit?
More than 4,500 people diagnosed with cancer at the MUHC endure rounds of chemotherapy and other treatments.
These visits to the hospital are difficult. Treatments are often long and exhausting. That’s where the Comfort Kit comes in.
Each Comfort Kit contains:
- Soft Fleece Blanket
So patients can keep warm during treatment - Reusable Water Bottle
To take their medications and quench thirst - A Notepad and Pen
To take notes during doctors' visits - Soothing Mints
To soothe throats and remove metal taste that some patients have during treatment - A Magazine
To help pass the time
The Goal
To give every newly-diagnosed MUHC cancer patient a Comfort Kit.
‘The Bell’ Fund is raising funds to make this a reality.
‘The Bell’ Fund also provides a soft blanket for every newly diagnosed child on Sarah’s Floor at the Montreal Children’s Hospital for their Pediatric Comfort Kit initiative.
The Plan
The Bell’ Fund is being launched on World Cancer Day, February 4, 2016 with a goal of raising $1 million.
About the Founder
On June 7, 2012, Judy Martin was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. For the next 455 days, she fought for her life—and won.
During her chemotherapy treatments, Judy realized something: no one celebrated the end of their chemotherapy treatments. This didn’t feel right to her.
Judy heard that Toronto’s Princess Margaret’s Hospital celebrated with a bell. She loved the idea and brought it to Montreal.
Judy bought and shiped the bell for $35 and had it engraved in English and French. It reads: “Lucky. Grateful. Hopeful.” She signed it with her patient number to remain anonymous. The bell was installed in the chemotherapy ward of the Royal Victoria Hospital.
Judy was the first patient to ring the bell on September 4, 2013. In April 2015, the bell was moved to its new home at the Cedars Cancer Centre at the MUHC’s Glen site. To this day, patients are keeping the tradition alive.
About Sarah's Fund
Sarah’s Fund was founded in 2001 by Sarah Cook. She was 8-years-old and undergoing treatment for Ewing’s Sarcoma.
Sarah’s Fund supports the needs of the Pediatric Hematology – Oncology patients and their families. The goal: improve the quality of life for all young cancer patients on “Sarah’s floor” (7B) at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
To date, Sarah’s Fund has raised over $8 million.
About Cedars CanSupport
Cedars CanSupport provides free support to MUHC cancer patients and their families. Its goal: offer compassionate care and understanding from diagnosis and treatment, to post-treatment, and end of life, when required. With professional staff and trained, dedicated volunteers (many, former cancer patients), Cedars CanSupport strives to reach every newly-diagnosed MUHC cancer patient.
To read Anne Sutherland's story about 'The Bell' Fund in the Montreal Gazette, click here!
To read Susan Schwartz's story about 'The Bell' Fund in the Montreal Gazette, click here!
To read the Press Release in English, click here!
To read the article from The Suburban, click here!
To read the article from Eastern Townships School Board, click here!
To read the article from the Tempo Newsletter on page 26, click here!
To read the article from the Westmount Magazine's Newsletter, click here!
To read the article from the newscaf, click here!
To read the article from The Globe and Mail, click here!
To read the article from Cedars News on 'The Bell Fund' & The Eastern Quebec Cancer Association : A kit to comfort cancer patients, click here!
Watch to inspire:
Watch this video of Christina, a patient from the Montreal Children's Hospital, rings the bell to celebrate her last day of chemotherapy treatment:
To watch the interview of Judy Martin promoting Cedars Dragon Boat Race & Festival on Breakfast TV, click here!
Global News & CTV News:
http://globalnews.ca/video/2630629/fighting-for-the-bell
http://globalnews.ca/video/2499064/ringing-the-cancer-bell
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/a-warm-blanket-for-sick-people-chemo-patients-receiving-comfort-kits-1.2765031
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=801863
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/organization-offers-comfort-to-new-cancer-patients-at-the-muhc-1.3674321
https://globalnews.ca/news/6180677/this-week-on-focus-montreal-nov-17-2019/
Listen to Judy Martin's interview on CHOM with Andrew Carter:
Listen to Judy Martin's interview on CHOM with Andrew Carter - November 2017:
Listen to Judy Martin's interview on CBC - November 2018:
Listen to Judy Martin's interview on CHOM with Terry Demontigny - November 2019:
For updates on 'The Bell' Fund, follow:
CRA No. 10520-2501-RR-0001 
