Florida woman 'rings' in 2020 cancer-free
MAITLAND, Fla. - A woman finishing chemotherapy is ringing in the new year in a very special way.
"I’m officially done!"
Dorine Olive is ringing in 2020 by ringing the most special bell she ever will.
The bell-ringing ritual signifies the end of her cancer treatment.
She finished chemotherapy Tuesday.
On the last day of the year, she has only one New Year's resolution for 2020: "being able to be done with this part of it and hopefully get my life back."
Her goal is to get her life back after a four-month battle with ovarian cancer.
It's a battle that started after a yoga class.
"During one certain pose, I kept feeling a little slight something in my abdomen."
It was a mass that forced her to go to the doctor.
Then, there was a hysterectomy and then cancer. It was a long journey to get here.
"It is only now that I’m done with the chemo that I truly understand the meaning of a warrior and I truly believe that I can do anything," Olive said.
"We have been waiting for fourth months," said her friend Erin Lysik.
Dorine opted to ring her chemo bell here at the Church of the Good Sheperd in Maitland instead of the hospital.
"There’s a couple people up there that are a little sensitive to some people being able to ring it and some not."
But since she could, she wanted to do it in style with artwork, champagne, friends, family and celebration.
"This is the icing on the cake on this journey," Lysik said.
It had all the the trimmings of the most perfect cancer-free New Year's Eve.
"I've got to make up on just enjoying life."