Ring the Bell Campaign Extended

The dedication of the new Sandra R. Berman Pavilion featured many remarkable moments, including powerful words from Maryland Governor Wes Moore and the building’s namesake, Sandra Berman. Perhaps the most moving element of the event was a moment of silence, during which attendees stood, each holding a large card on which they’d written the name of someone they wanted to remember, someone whose life had been altered by cancer. 

The same spirit of quiet tribute has prompted a fundraising campaign to benefit the Berman Pavilion and the renovations now underway in the Sheila K. Riggs Radiation Oncology Center at the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute. In less than two months, donors who wished to add the names of those they love to a permanent feature of the new building, contributed more than $31,000.

A sign will be added, wrapping the atrium staircase, on which will be printed names received in the campaign. What began as an appeal to bring the names of patients and caregivers into the building gained momentum and has been extended beyond its original 2024 deadline. It became clear there was interest in honoring friends and family members through this project and not everyone who would like to participate had been reached. 

The installation itself is currently being designed. The team hopes to present a mockup at the Cancer Survivorship Celebration in June. Anyone interested in adding a name to the permanent sign can visit gbmc.org/ringthebell or contact mmcneill@gbmc.org.