JRMC employees surprised Debbie Holmstrom with a special bell ringing after she completed cancer treatments on April 6.

Debbie Holmstrom completed cancer treatments this week. But on her last day, Holmstrom said she was disappointed when her medical provider offered no bell.

Holmstrom, the front desk admissions clerk for Jamestown Regional Medical Center, completed her radiation on Thursday, April 6 after a breast cancer diagnosis in fall 2016. A little let down about missing that opportunity, she reminded herself that she’d completed treatment and was proud.

With or without the bell, Holmstrom’s husband, Dale, took her to dinner that night to celebrate.

“Yesterday (Debbie’s last day of treatment) felt good,” he said.

Holmstrom is well-known throughout JRMC as a friendly face with an uplifting smile. Patients and employees alike missed her when she took a leave of absence this winter.

“Debbie makes uneasy patients feel comfortable. She’s perfect in her role in admissions,” said Patient Access Management Manager Alison Kennison.

Lori Wanzek and Cindy Nelms helped plan a surprise bell ringing for Debbie Holmstrom, front desk admissions clerk. Holmstrom completed cancer treatment on Thursday.

When Debbie returned in February, employees were thrilled to have her back. They were also thrilled when she completed eight weeks of chemotherapy on Dec. 14, 2016, a double mastectomy on Jan. 5, 2017 and 28 rounds of radiation on April 6, 2017. When Debbie mentioned that she was a little let down about missing the bell, her friends and colleagues surreptitiously stepped in.

Thanks to the hard (and secretive!) work of Lori Wanzek, Cindy Nelms, Muffy Weisz, Kennison and several others, JRMC surprised Holmstrom with a special bell ringing on Friday, the day after her last treatment. Even Holmstrom’s family attended, including her daughters, Becky Mittleider and Jodie Schiele, as well as Schiele’s husband, Jon, and their children, Katie, Bryson, Nathan and Camden.

“I’ve only been this surprised one other time in my whole life,” Holmstrom said. “They got me good.”

At her side was her husband, as well as Barb Schlecht, JRMC’s clinical informatics specialist. Schlecht recently rang the bell after completing her own cancer treatment.

Dozens of employees gathered to watch Debbie Holmstrom ring the bell, signifying the end of her cancer treatment on Friday.

“I didn’t cry when I rang my own bell, but I cried today with Debbie. It’s hard, and humbling, to accept the support from loved ones – and even strangers,” Schlecht said.

Schlecht completed 33 days of radiation therapy after a battle with breast cancer. Today, she said she’s feeling upbeat and happy. And so is Holmstrom. Not every day was easy, but it’s easy to keep a positive attitude now.

JRMC employees wore pink Friday in Holmstrom’s honor.

“We wanted to give her that experience of ringing the bell,” Wanzek said.

Nelms agreed.

 

“We gave her a send-off in our pink shirts before treatment and it is special to wear them again for her now after completing of her treatments,” she said.

The symbol is also significant, given JRMC’s work toward establishing a Cancer Center, Nelms said. The JRMC Cancer Center will allow patients to receive chemotherapy treatments closer to home.

“Today is wonderful. This is awesome. Everybody is wonderful from the little people to the big people. I love my job,” Holmstrom said.

Learn more about JRMC’s Cancer Center. Apply for a job with JRMC.