Mags McCarthy rings the bell in hope for cancer patients

Agriland

03-05-2025

Co. Cork country music artist and farmer's daughter, Mags McCarthy, has released what she believes is her most heartfelt and powerful single yet, 'Ring That Bell'.
The vocalist and multi-instrumentalist partnered with renowned scientist Dr. Bruce Levine to co-write the song that aims to give a voice to cancer patients and celebrates breakthroughs in treatment that are helping to save lives.
Dr Levine is the Barbara and Edward Netter professor in cancer gene therapy, and the founding director of the clinical cell and vaccine production facility in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Centre, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
McCarthy's single follows her breakout success with 'Our Song'. 'Ring That Bell' tells the story of a cancer patient facing relapse and the fierce advocacy, support, and ground-breaking science that offer new hope.
Speaking about her new single, McCarthy, who teaches music at Terence McSwiney Community School, Knocknaheeny, Co. Cork, said: 'At its heart is the powerful symbolism of ringing the bell, a tradition in many cancer centres marking key milestones like the end of treatment, good news, or moments of gratitude and encouragement.'
Dr. Bruce Levine on the McCarthy family farm.
'This song is very special and I hope it will give people hope when they are going through their journey. We should never give up the fight no matter how hard and dismal things may look. We should always try and find a way to give people hope,
'CAR T-cell therapy has given people that chance to survive with certain types of cancers. I want to say a special thanks to all the scientists, doctors and nurses who treat patients every day and who fight every day to keep us alive.
'I hope this song will bring awareness and hope for all the cancer warriors out there,' she added.
McCarthy said the song is a tribute to the power of perseverance, community, and innovation.
''Ring That Bell' draws on stories from families whose lives have been changed by CAR T-cell therapy, a treatment that engineers a patient's own immune cells to target and kill cancer,`' she explained.
The Co. Cork woman said she was moved by stories of patients young and older, who received CAR T-cell therapy after traditional treatments failed.
'From around the world, these brave children, adults, and their families share a common message: CAR-T saves lives.
'The photos and videos accompanying the release show children ringing the bell, not just as a milestone, but as a declaration of survival, resilience, and the promise of tomorrow,' McCarthy said.
Dr. Bruce Levine with friend and consultant haematologist, Dr. Mykytiv in Cork.
Dr. Levine, who played a pivotal role in developing and advancing CAR T-cell therapy, revolutionising the treatment of cancer and other life-threatening diseases, has visited the McCarthy family farm.
'My dad has been farming at Dripsey all his life and my brother, James, is now on the 185ac dairy farm and we also have beef cattle,' McCarthy said.
The country music artist told Agriland that someone very close to her had been diagnosed with blood cancer.
'Since then I have taken a huge interest in how the immune system works. I got to know Bruce and we have become good friends ever since.
'That person dear to me was treated not by CAR-T cell therapy but by other treatments at the Cork University Hospital and St. James's Hospital in Dublin. They are doing good, thanks to all the doctors and nurses here,' said McCarthy.
'Bruce wanted to learn how I compose new music and write songs. So we sat down and wrote a song about CAR-T cell therapy.
'After writing it I decided to get my friends in Nashville to record the music for me and I recorded the vocals at Windmill Lane studios in Dublin. I found it a very challenging song to write but it's definitely a song close to my heart,`' she said.
Mags McCarthy with Emily Whitehead, who was the first child in the world to have her immune cells activated to fight cancer through CAT T-cell therapy.
McCarthy said they wrote the chorus of the song while driving from Dublin to Cork.
'After many edits and back and forth with different lyrics, we finally were happy with the product.
'Special thanks to the doctors here in Ireland who took care of that someone close to me. That person is alive today because of them and the person who donated their stem cells for the transplant,' she added.