Tennessee Nurses Honor Guard Donates For Cancer Center Radiation Patients

Patients completing radiation therapy at Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s cancer center now have a new way to mark the milestone, thanks to a bell donated by the Tennessee Nurses Honor Guard.

Since 2019, the Tennessee Nurses Honor Guard tradition began as a meaningful way to recognize and celebrate the lives of nurses who devoted themselves to caring for others. The Nurses Honor Guard plays an active role in the CRMC community through their volunteerism and support efforts.

The Nurses Honor Guard presented the bell on September 29, 2026, to the radiation oncology department at the Cancer Center with physicians and providers from Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center.

The bell was christened by a member of the auxiliary, Debbie Rasbury, 75, who has been receiving care at the Cancer Center for over a year for a form of Myeloma. Rasbury experiences with the Cancer Center and her involvement with the Nurses Honor Guard made the ringing of the bell even more special for her and other intendance.

“This means so much especially after being so surprised by my diagnosis,” recounted Rasbury. “We as a group are honored to help bring this to the community. It is a big deal. My nurses here were great and helped me through so much.”

Ringing a bell at the end of treatment has become a tradition at cancer centers across the country. For many patients, it signals the close of weeks of daily appointments and a turn toward recovery. Family members, caregivers and staff often gather to cheer as the bell rings.

The bell is accompanied by a plaque inscribed with a poem describing the gratitude of concluding treatment.

To contact the Cancer Center at Cookeville Regional Medical Center about its services call (931) 783-2497 or visit the website at https://crmchealth.org/services/cancer.