The sound of hope: WRHN’s ceremonial gong returns to mark a long-awaited milestone
Patient Story
Each time Jeff Kalan heard a patient hit the ceremonial gong at the Cancer Centre at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), he imagined what it would feel like to celebrate his own treatment milestone with that same deep, rumbling roar.
But days before he wrapped up his 33rd and final round of radiation, he noticed the gong wasn’t there.
“At first I didn’t know what was going on; I was just hoping it would be back soon,” says Jeff, who later found out the gong had been stolen from the Cancer Centre.
I started thinking: ‘I guess I’ll have to find another way to mark my last treatment.’
Luckily, he didn’t have to.
In a serendipitous moment for Jeff, the gong was returned to WRHN just moments before his last radiation appointment on May 5.
Wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs sweatshirt and a smile from ear to ear, Jeff grabbed the mallet and struck the gong proudly in front of a crowd that included reporters, members of his care team and WRHN Foundation, and police officers who had just returned the gong.
A symbol of hope
The ceremonial gong was donated to WRHN Foundation and has been used to mark milestones in patients’ treatment journeys since 2015. When news broke that the gong had gone missing, community members rallied by donating to the Foundation’s Cancer Care & Compassion Fund.
“We are so grateful to Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) for recovering this powerful symbol of resilience and celebration, and for the support we received from this community,” says Doug Earle, CEO of WRHN Foundation.
All gifts made to the Cancer Care & Compassion Fund help ensure that moments of dignity, comfort, and compassion are present alongside clinical care for every patient.”
— Doug Earle, CEO, WRHN Foundation
The Cancer Care & Compassion Fund helps patients with additional expenses, including hotel stays for out-of-town patients during treatment, grocery cards, gas cards, and support for other procedures that might be needed before a patient can undergo chemotherapy.
A moment 14 years in the making
In an emotional moment, Jeff became the first patient to strike the gong after its safe return, capping a 14-year saga with prostate cancer that involved treatment at both London Health Sciences Centre and WRHN Cancer Centre.
He got teary-eyed afterwards while thanking his care team for their support.
“From the volunteers greeting me at the door, to everyone here now, you’ve all been beautiful,” he said after banging the gong.
This is something I hope I never have to go through again, but you guys have been great.
Jeff, who turns 67 later in May, was in his early 50’s when he was first diagnosed. Over the first several years, his cancer was kept in check through treatment in London. But recently, as the disease began showing signs of spreading, his London care team urged him to consider radiation.
Jeff had been adamant about avoiding radiation therapy after misunderstanding information about side effects.
But when he met with Dr. Pierre Fortin at WRHN Cancer Centre, the radiologist put things bluntly.
“He told me: ‘Jeff, I can’t promise how long you’re going to live, but I can tell you that without radiation now, the cancer will move through your body, and once it does that, that’s a different story,’” Jeff recalls. “He talked to me about the effectiveness of radiation and how it’s improved and changed over the last decade.
That’s what I needed to hear to convince myself to do this.
Looking ahead
Jeff began radiation on March 18. After his final appointment, he met with Dr. Fortin, who told him he felt confident the treatment was successful. He will have follow-up bloodwork and an MRI scan to see how the cancer has responded.
A day after his final radiation session, Jeff was tired but in good spirits. He’s thankful for his care teams at both London and Kitchener, including all the radiation technologists at WRHN Cancer Centre who came out to congratulate him after his last treatment.
“They were all so pleasant, every single time,” Jeff says. “Having them all come out to wish me luck after I rang the gong, it was so meaningful to me.”
As for having the chance to mark his cancer milestone with that loud, meaningful, thud, Jeff says he’ll never forget that moment.
“When I saw the gong had returned right in time for my turn to ring it, wow, that was amazing,” he says. “
I still have goosebumps thinking about it.
Be part of a generational opportunity to strengthen our health network.
Support new ways to connect the nearly 1.5 million people across WRHN’s catchment area to the care they deserve.
Let your experience inspire others.
Whether you’re a patient, family member, donor, event participant or proud WRHN staff, sharing your story and connection to Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) is a powerful way to show how donations impact our community in real, tangible ways.