Giving each other a lift
People usually think I'm crazy when I say I actually enjoy my weekly visits to Beebe Healthcare’s Tunnell Cancer Center on the Route 24 Rehoboth Health Campus.
I’m a tough grader, but the team at Beebe gets an A+ from me. The staff there are so exceptionally caring and kind! They make you feel welcomed and genuinely cared for. They make you smile and laugh, and lift your spirits. Despite seeing pain and sadness in many patients, they always project a hopeful, happy attitude.
On Friday of National Nurses Week, during a blood transfusion, I suddenly heard vigorous ringing of a bell, indicating that someone was now cancer free! I'd seen this in movies before, but I had never experienced it in person. Even though I was in a separate room, I heard the sustained applause and cheering of both staff and patients. I could picture tears in eyes and smiles on faces, thinking what a great uplift to all of those involved. What a perfect end to our nation's annual observance of Nurses Week!
I shared this experience on the I Love Lewes Facebook group because we have all been through so much these past two years, and everyone needs a lift. With so much negativity online and in the news, I believe it’s so important to share positive stories like this. We are so blessed to have this wonderful care right here in Sussex County. It turns out that many others agree with me as well! More than 500 people liked my post, and many commented about their own personal experience with Beebe Oncology Services – including the person I heard ringing the bell that day. On my weekly visit to Tunnell Cancer Center, many of the team members noted that they had seen my post and it lifted their spirits as well.
One poster replied, “Indeed they are! I finished up a 15-visit radiation therapy treatment a couple of weeks ago. After my last treatment, I chose to bang the gong instead of ringing the bell. The entire staff who worked with me all cheered and clapped, which was so nice. They all signed a congratulations certificate for me, too. You can't find a better group of people in any medical facility than Tunnell. God bless each and every one of them!”
Another shared, “I agree 1,000%! Every single person is kind, compassionate and caring! I also enjoy going to my Tunnell appointments! Sending you love and healing vibes!”
May God bless the Tunnell family and so many, many other donors whose generosity continues to make this amazing facility available to us! May he continue to bless the many wonderful staff members and the incredibly kind volunteers who generously contribute their time to serve others. And may the divine physician bring hope and healing to all who come there for oncology and hematology issues.
As a community-based, not-for-profit healthcare system, Beebe Healthcare depends on the generous support of the community it serves. To make a gift to celebrate the excellent care you or a loved one has received, visit Beebe Medical Foundation at beebemedicalfoundation.org or call 302-644-2900. Want to share your story? Contact Amanda Neal at aneal@beebehealthcare.org.
