Donations to this page directly benefit the Beads of Courage Program at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital to support patients as they navigate their cancer journey. The Beads of Courage experience begins when a child is first diagnosed with cancer. The patient is first given a length of string and beads that spell out their name. Then, colorful beads, each representing courage during their treatment experiences, are given to the patient by their Child Life Specialist. Each color bead represents something — inpatient stays, spinal taps, blood draws, port accesses, chemo treatments, and the list continues. As beads are added to their Beads of Courage collection, patients can record, tell and own their stories of courage.
The Beads of Courage Program helps to decrease illness-related distress, increase the use of positive coping strategies and helps children find meaning in their diagnosis. The program also provides something tangible patients can use to tell about their courage displayed during and after treatment. All beads are developed in collaboration with experts in the field (nurses, doctors, child life specialists and social workers) so that each bead will be a meaningful acknowledgment of a child’s courage displayed during their treatment experiences. Thank you for helping us reach our goal this year and for supporting this wonderful program!