Texas breast cancer patient breaks 'cancer-free bell' with enthusiastic ring

A Houston-area woman was so excited while ringing the "cancer-free" bell at the hospital, she broke it.

Credit: cocoparisienne/Pixabay

Credit: cocoparisienne/Pixabay

A Houston-area woman was so excited while ringing the "cancer-free" bell at the hospital, she broke it.

Bang a gong, indeed.

A Texas patient who finished her radiation treatment for breast cancer got to ring the hospital's "cancer-free" celebration bell Monday. But Darla Jaye was so excited, she broke the bell, KRIV reported.

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The Houston-based Harris Health System tweeted a video of Jaye clanging the traditional bell, including the moment when the strap flew off.

"I broke the bell," Jaye said in the video.

"I've looked forward to this day since February," Jaye, who lives in the Houston area, told Harris Health. "I was scared to death, but you guys saved my life!"

According to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center's website, the tradition of ringing a bell began in 1996 when U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and cancer patient Irve Le Moyne installed a brass bell at the campus Radiation Treatment Center.

Jaye's strength certainly has returned despite the radiation treatments.

"Today is the best day I've had since I was diagnosed with breast cancer, she tweeted.

By the way, the bell has been fixed, hospital officials tweeted.

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