A FAMILY whose son had leukaemia as a toddler has bought a bell for other child cancer patients to ring when they finish their treatment.

Owen Holder, of Brunswick Gardens, Barkingside, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) as a youngster and treated at the former Oldchurch Hospital, which was then replaced by Queen’s Hospital in Romford in 2006.

The now 15-year-old made a full recovery and has kept in touch with hospital staff ever since.

So when his mother Claire and father Del discovered a charity that provides children’s wards with bells for young patients to ring to symbolise the end of their treatment she was desperate to get one for Queens' Tropical Bay ward.

The 44-year-old said: “When we found out about this charity we thought it was a lovely thing, so we wanted to make a donation to have a bell at Queen’s Hospital.

“We became a hospital family ourselves when Owen was going through his treatment.

“The staff were also amazing and they become like part of our extended family too.

“It’s lovely to hear that children have already been able to ring the bell.”

Last Wednesday (February 15) Owen and his mum were joined by Maisie Restarick, 17, and Riley Harrop, 14, who were treated for ALL at the same time as him, to try out the new bell.

Since then two young cancer patients have marked the end of their treatment by ringing the Holder’s new bell.

To find out more about End of Treatment Bells UK, see their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/Endoftreatmentbells/