Three-year-old marks end of cancer treatment with family as bell moved outside - UK

By Eleanor Barlow, PA

The family of a three-year-old cancer patient were able to join him to mark the end of his radiotherapy despite coronavirus restrictions after a hospital moved its bell used to mark the completion of treatment outside.

Brodie Halliday, from Fountainhall in the Scottish Borders, went through 35 rounds of radiotherapy at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Wirral, Merseyside, after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour last July.

Coronavirus restrictions mean just one visitor is allowed at the hospital per patient, so his father Jamie, 42, and seven-year-old sister Indiana thought they might not be with him to mark the end of treatment milestone.

But staff unscrewed the bell from its usual place and set it up outside the hospital, meaning they were able to join Brodie, his mother Kirstie, 35, and his medical team and fellow patients to celebrate.

Mrs Halliday said: “When I chatted to the team about what we could do to make sure as many people saw him ring the bell as possible, they knew just what to do.

“They’ve gone above and beyond for Brodie and really made a fuss of his during his treatment.”

Paediatric radiographer Sarah Stead said: “We weren’t going to let the coronavirus ruin Brodie’s big moment to ring the bell in front of his family.

“As patient safety is our top priority, having visitors into the hospital isn’t possible at the moment.

“The team and I made sure Brodie could safely have his celebratory moment.

“He had quite a socially distant crowd in the end of fellow patients and Clatterbridge staff cheering him on.

“Patients and families dealing with cancer already have enough on their plates. It’s part of our job to go that extra mile to ensure they’re given extra special care and compassion during these extenuating circumstances.”

Brodie and his family moved 250 miles from their home so he could have the treatment.

Mrs Halliday said: “We moved our entire lives down to the Wirral for Brodie’s treatment and with everything going on, it’s been quite a daunting experience.

“Having Brodie in hospital during a pandemic was also incredibly worrying.

“But the team from the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre have gone above and beyond for Brodie, especially during a really challenging time for all the staff and patients.

“We’re really grateful that the team found a way for us to celebrate this special moment with Brodie.”