For cancer patients, the “ringing of the bell” ceremony is a HUGE milestone in their cancer journey because it means that they are cancer free!

For little Aiyanna and her parents, her “ringing of the bell” ceremony was one that they will never forget!

Courtesy: YISD
Courtesy: YISD
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I first met little Aiyanna nearly two years ago when she had just been diagnosed with Leukemia. Since then, Aiyanna and her parents have been pushing through this cancer journey together.

“It's been a rough two years going back and forth to the hospital going through the unknown sometime,” said Diego Tarin, Aiyanna’s Dad.

Courtesy: Iris Lopez
Courtesy: Iris Lopez
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But after years of chemotherapy, Aiyanna was relieved to have her final treatment and her parents wanted to make their daughter's “ringing of the bell” ceremony one she would never forget so they asked her elementary school teacher for assistance.

“We decided to have a parade when her parents told us that she was going to be ringing the bell soon,” said April Escalante.

Courtesy: YISD
Courtesy: YISD
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Ringing of the bell ceremonies are usually held at the local CHildren’s Hospital’s, but due to the rise of COVID, the flu and RSV, hospital’s don’t allow family embers up to join in on the ringing of the bell ceremonies so school administrators decided to hold a parade to celebrate Aiyanna’s final chemotherapy treatment.

The halls of R.E.L Washington elementary school were full of students holding posters that had motivational words for Aiyanna.

Students also had their own bells to ring as their fellow classmate, Aiyanna, made her way down the hall to celebrate a milestone in her life.

The parade also featured a marching band that led the parade down the halls of R.E.L Elementary school shouting, “Ring that bell, Aiyanna ring that bell!"

Courtesy: YISD
Courtesy: YISD
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“Aiyanna was very surprised to see support from kids that were not her friends but now they are,” said Claudia Lerma, Aiyanna’s mom.

This surprise parade was a moment that Aiyanna and her parents will never forget.

“She was just so happy that they did something special for her just to make her understand that she is normal, she is part of the community she felt really loved,” said Claudia.

Courtesy: YISD
Courtesy: YISD
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Ringing of the bell parade for Aiyanna

 

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