Delaware, Maryland readers share stories behind favorite ornaments


Two Christmases ago, Danielle Sexton of Elkton, Maryland, was diagnosed with brain cancer.

The battle she had been consigned to unexpectedly on Christmas Day was made more daunting by the pandemic.

“We were in the thick of COVID and I was diagnosed and receiving my chemotherapy at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, where I had to be inpatient every 21 days,’’ Sexton recalled.

The hardest part, she said, was going through it alone, as she was not allowed visitors due to COVID-19 restrictions.

 “Usually, after the last chemo treatment, the patient, with their family watching, gets to ring the bell in celebration,’’ she explained. “I was never given that opportunity and casually mentioned how special it must be.’’

This bell means more to Danielle Sexton than any other decoration, as it celebrates the end of treatment for brain cancer.

Someone was listening carefully, and now her favorite Christmas tree ornament reflects that kindness.

“On Christmas morning, 2021, my husband handed me a gift to open before anyone or anything else,’’ she remembered. “When I did, it took my breath away. He told me that I am the strongest, bravest person he knows, and I should have the chance to ring a bell. So, sitting on my couch, in my pajamas, I rang the bell. As my husband and kids clapped, I cried tears of joy and was and forever will be thankful.’’



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