Beads Of Courage Inc

My name is Clara and I am 19 years old. I became chronically ill at the age of 7. When I was around 13 I started collecting beads of courage. If I had started collecting when I first got sick I would have around 17 000 beads. However, I currently have about 5000. My beads allow me to tell my healthcare story without words. They are an amazing resource that shows people what I have been through. They mean everything to me!

I absolutely LOVE beads of courage. I have nothing but good things to say. They are so kind & just so amazing. I absolutely recommend them!

Hi I'm Brian Anderson, I'm a graphic designer here in Tucson. I used to do a lot of resort work but I'd really like to do more non profit work. I have a special low, hourly rate for non profits. Please look at my online portfolio and let me know if I can be of any help to your organization. Thank you!
https://andersondesignaz.com

I am a 17 year old living with multiple chronic illnesses, and beads of courage has helped me turn something so devastating into a beautiful work of art. The beads help me process the emotional difficulties that come with living with severe illness and give me a way to show other people what I go through on a daily basis. Beads of courage is a phenomenal program that helps so many kids like me cope with their illness and I will forever be grateful for the hundreds of beads I’ve collected that show my strength and courage despite the immense hardships.

My name is Morgan I am 18 and I have been part of beads of courage for 11 months. In my 11 month as a member of BSC I have received over 200 beads for my disorder. I have a very rare form of dysautonomia so rare that it doesn’t even have a name. Beads of courage has been a huge inspiration not only for me and my community but for my TickTock page followers as well. Beads of Courage has shown me the strength and the love and the grace that I still have even though I’m fighting every day of my life.

Our daughter Lexi was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome with a double outlet right ventricle. She turns 10 this year! She has faced 3 open heart surgeries and numerous heart catheterizations- there were times when we didn’t know if she would make it through the day- let alone be a rambunctious ten year old! I often wondered how I would help her understand her journey, since it literally started the moment she was born- Then we found Beads of Courage (distance program) - and now she has something beautiful she can hold in her hand to represent her continuing journey- something more than her scars... She loves them, loves me to tell her about them and she has even used them to tell others about all she has gone through- I am forever grateful.

When we first started the bead program in October of 2018, I didn't at first realize the impact it would have on my heart. My daughter Zion has Trisomy 18, the beads help tell her medical story in such a beautiful way! I am so grateful for the program.

my beads are the perfect way to explain/tell my story to others. i hang them on my iv pole at home so that I can look at them at night and be reminded of my strength and what I've overcome

My daughter was born in Wichita, KS May 3, 2017. We got flown down to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO by May 5th and Mother’s Day was right around the corner and I was in the NICU alone with only my newborn and my support system was over 3hours away. Beads of courage were so very sweet and thoughtful and have every mother in the NICU at the time, Pandora bracelets with a NICU bead to help support us, it dad make my day special and I appreciated it so much. Not much later, I applied to be a part of beads of courage and we absolutely love it! There’s so much pride in the beads my daughter receives for all her braveness and hard work throughout the years and we cannot wait to keep building out bead collection and tell her story. I know it’s something she can look back at as an adult and say “Man, look at everything I did! Everything I’ve overcome.” It’s definitely something that keeps you going.

Great group of people that work tirelessly to uplift those they support. Truly an amazing mission to bring joy to everyone they touch. Proud to have supported them and will continue to do so.

Just got started with beads of courage for my son today after his chemo treatment. In just a month he has already had more than 20 procedures done and when we got all these beads it was shocking how much he has accomplished in a short amount of time. I hope when he's older he will see the long beads and understand just how brave he really is. Thank you beads of courage, this program is awesome.

My daughter started her beads of courage when she was 2 yrs old. Every test, every Dr visit, every operation. It gave her something to look forward to and be proud of. After 42 plus brain and spinal surgeries plus more, her string of beads became a treasure! She is now 22 and they are still more valuable than then most precious diamond!! Thank you Beads of Courage for each bead held us together.

As a child life specialist, part of my work is to share the Beads of Courage program with our pediatric patients and their families. It is such a pleasure to have this unique way to celebrate the medical milestones in each child’s life. Beads of Courage helps our patients find beauty and joy in their day.

Beads of Courage came along side of our entire family when my daughter was fighting cancer. There were many days that the promise of a bead earned got us through treatment. My daughters collection of 2000-ish beads tell her story of courage and surviving cancer. And it still doesn't end; each year at her Survivor's Clinic appointment, she makes sure to collect her bead to mark another year of survivorship. These beads are so much more than little pieces of glass! Each one is a reminder to the patient, their family, and their friends of what they have overcome. They give courage to face the next thing. And when treatment is in the rearview mirror for a survivor, they serve as a reminder of what is in the past and the ability to overcome.

Beads of Courage is a wonderful program. My daughter was diagnosed with CHD after birth. When we were at the hospital we were told about Beads of Courage. I love that the beads we have show what our daughter has conquered. Someday, when she is old enough to understand, I will have the honor to explain all of her accomplishments.

I was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer in 2009 at the age of five. My family went through a hard time, but I am so thankful for beads of courage. As a five year old, beads of courage made me happy and gave me hope. They now tell my story of cancer and what I went through. I am proud to be a member of beads of courage.

Our son just passed away and he battled ALL for 5 years. We were very happy to collect his beads and now we will treasure them. We will forever be grateful for this programs and all the specialty beads that he earned. They truly showed his journey.

Bead of Courage is amazing! It’s such a cool way to put my daughters journey into a form she can understand now that she’s older. She has over 1,200 beads! That’s quite a story!

Beads of Courage is a wonderful organization that helps put a visual to our sons story.

My daughters beads have been an inspiration to me since she has passed. They have given me courage, just as she had when she earned them.

I am a retired RN, wife, Mom & Grandma to 4 strong & healthy kiddos and I also make lampwork beads. While doing some consulting in Tucson, I learned of a program called Beads of Courage. I was immediately drawn to Art & Medicine uniting to bring a smile, mark a milestone or honor the memory of a child who bravely journeys the path of life threatening illness and the families and friends that support them. I have over the past many years donated Lampwork beads I have created to the program. I still smile at the years I was fortunate enough to have my beads chosen to be carried by mushers in the Iditarod.....the goal was to give a dog sled travelled bead to a child and to the musher. There have been many adventures for the beads we artists create then donate and the journey to becoming a treasure. Beads of Courage is gracious, professional and beautifully run. Courtesy is a cornerstone for them...I always receive a hand written thank you for my donations....a description of how it will be used and a comment or two on the designs. I am proud to say I, in a very small way, support this organization with art and contributions. Dedication to children....there is no finer commitment.

Beads of Courage has truly given us a gift. Our daughter was diagnosed with cancer at 10 months old. While it has been a blessing she does not remember treatment, it also means she does not remember how incredibly brave she was. Her beads are now a tangible way for her to see how amazing she is and a way for her to share her own journey with others. As her parents, each bead is a reason to celebrate all that our family has been through. Thank you beads of courage!

I'm, thankfully, not on the receiving end of this wonderful bead program . I am, however, a donator of beads and bead bags. I read the stories and see the posts from very brave kids sporting a look of hope and joy as they pick out a special bead to tell the story of their illness journey. Sounds a bit odd...telling a story of pain and discomfort...but this gives them an open door to discuss all aspects of their treatments. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But no so fast! They also tell of the love and care that they receive from the medical team and even from perfect strangers. Its healing...its therapeutic...its a lovely distraction from their difficulties. This program represents an act of kindness, an act of love. Any program that puts a smile on a sick child and brings a ray of hope into their lives has my vote!

Incredible organization that has allowed our daughter to understand everything she went through in a very tangible way.

Beads of Courage is an amazing organization and has helped me, and so many others with serious illnesses, to have a way to visualize our journeys and share them with others! Many times, my beads have been a way for me to look back on my journey and realize that, if I made it through all of that, I can tackle whatever is coming next.

Beads of Courage mission is to provide critically ill children with beads that tells their medical journey. As an arts in medicine program within over 280 hospitals in the U S and in 7 foreign countries, thousands of children have strings of beautiful beads to help them understand and share what is happening to them. As a volunteer in the International headquarters in Tucson, I help with the packaging of beads to be sent to the hospital programs. I am also blessed to be able to send beads in the mail to children who are no longer hospitalized. It is the best and most rewarding volunteer work that I do.

What a wonderful nonprofit! My son, a cardiac patient, loves to collect his beads. It’s a wonderful way for him to be able to keep track of his medical journey and it’s helped me as his mom by having something tangible to point to in order to show what we have been through.

Our son is battling leukemia and Beads of Courage regularly encourages him to tangibly acknowledge what he's accomplished so far. He looks forward to pulling them out and adding in what ones he's earned during that appointment. We talk about all of the special beads he's earned and the through procedures and extra courageous days. They are a wonderful non-profit and we are so blessed by Beads of Courage.

My daughter collected the beads for her

I love working with Beads of Courage. We volunteer to get carry bead kits out to individuals to tell their stories.

I am a bead artist who donates to Beads of Courage. I love knowing that the children can tell their amazing stories using a tangible method.

I love going and giving a hand, knowing I am helping children and their families on their journey with a life altering diagnosis. The staff and fellow volunteers are wonderful. I also love doing #CarryABead where I take a pair of beads with me to an activity and return one with a small card to go to a child who needs extra encouragement.

My son David was diagnosed with cancer at 3 years old. Throughout his year long treatment, he enjoyed getting his Beads of Courage to recognize each milestone in the journey. He was young enough that he will not remember most of the treatment process, but he can look back at the beads and tell about what he has overcome. He's a special boy and those beads are very special to him. He is now 3 years off treatment and doing well!