Let's Take Courage to New Heights!

Beads of Courage is grateful for the opportunity to support children and teens coping with serious illness, their families, and the clinicians who care for them with our arts in medicine programs. We can't do it without your generous support!

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary of pioneering a new way to honor courage through the artform of beads, we also reflect on the "Stepping Stones" who are the caring clinicians who help our Beads of Courage members overcome their obstacles during treatment but also people like YOU, who without your generosity, our non-profit organization could not sustain the programs are needed by the kids, teens, families and clinicians who receive encouragement through Beads of Courage.

"Beads of Courage has been an integral part of Lennon's life journey. From the very beginning, Lennon faced challenges that would test the spirit of any individual, born with skin so delicate it mirrored the fragility of her early years. Yet, she emerged stronger, overcoming countless wound changes, painful pokes, and extended hospital stays. Beads of Courage has transformed her trials into a visual symphony of triumph, with each bead representing a hurdle cleared and a mountain scaled. Today, Lennon proudly carries a staggering 4,500 +beads of courage, a tangible testament to her indomitable will. With her Lennon's Warriors Rsvlts shirt and bucket hat, she faces life's trials head-on. We extend our deepest gratitude to Beads of Courage, for providing not just a visual representation, but a tangible reminder of Lennon's strength, courage, and determination." - Mom

Be a "Stepping Stone" to courage! Your donation helps to fill our distribution center with the beads we need to send to our partner hospitals or to kids and teens who are waiting almost a year to receive Beads in the Mail because their hospital doesn't have the Beads of Courage program yet. Funds also support our clinical staff dedicated to ensuring that our programs are standard of care for psychosocial and emotional support along with staffing our distribution center to ensure kids and teens get the beads they need to tell their stories of courage.

"Luca's beads are the most amazing representation of his journey through 37 surgeries, thousands of medical appointments and therapies, procedures, travel for care etc, etc. He regularly uses them to help explain his story, to wow nurses and doctors with his journey and to talk himself through what comes next in his journey. He uses them in therapy to talk about the hard things he has faced and build the courage to face new challenges. All of this in one very long string of colorful beads! They really are so valuable to us all." - Mom

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About the Beads of Courage® Program The Beads of Courage® Program is a resilience-based intervention designed to support and strengthen children and families coping with serious illness. Through the program, children and their families tell their stories using colorful beads as meaningful symbols of courage that they receive to honor and acknowledge each step of their treatment journey. The program has been designed to honor everything a child goes through while coping with a serious illness or lifelong condition. Each bead is a visual and tangible reminder of their courage during their fight for life.

Outcomes-Every bead tells a story of courage, honor, and hope Ongoing evaluation of the Beads of Courage® program indicates the support helps to decrease illness-related distress, increase the use of positive coping strategies, helps members and families find meaning in illness, and restore the sense of self in those coping with serious illness. The program also provides something tangible the member and their families can use to tell about their experiences endured when coping with cardiac conditions.

About Beads of Courage, Inc. Beads of Courage, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization committed to strengthening resilience and promoting the well-being of children coping with serious illness, their families, and the clinicians who care for them. Beads of Courage, Inc. achieves its mission through the development and implementation of innovative Arts-in-Medicine programs. www.beadsofcourage.org