ACH patient Madison Lanway has hundreds of beads that collectively illustrate her journey with cancer. Each bead represents an event in her treatment, from a course of chemo to hair loss to a clinic visit.

It takes real courage for children to face the scary journey of being diagnosed and treated for cancer. The Beads of Courage program for pediatric cancer patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital is a way to mark each step of treatment with beautiful pieces of jewelry that the children and their families treasure.

“One of the little girls said, ‘When I have my beads, I feel beautiful, more beautiful than a princess,’” said Cynthia (C.J.) Brown, nursing director for the hematology/oncology unit at ACH. “These beads are very pretty, and symbolize the child’s journey with cancer. They are a great, tangible way for patients and families to have a visible journal they can wear. They represent a part of this child’s life that most people can’t begin to comprehend.”

Beads of Courage is a national program started in 2004 by an oncology nurse, Jean Baruch, who wanted to help children express the emotional effects of having cancer. While at a summer camp for children coping with cancer and other serious illnesses, she noticed how much the campers love beading. She developed the program that provides colorful beads to children that represent milestones, procedures and “acts of bravery.”

“We start with beads that spell their name, and add a bead with every step to mark their journey with cancer,” Brown said. “They have beads that represent the initial diagnosis of cancer, and for every step such as hospital admission, blood draws, and procedures. There are glow-in-the-dark beads for radiation treatments, a hair loss bead, and a purple heart bead that represents the end of treatment. And there is a butterfly bead that, if the patients don’t beat their battle with cancer, represents their last step. These beads then become a memorial for the family.”

On September 8, ACH hosted the Bead Design Challenge Hospital Tour. The theme of the bead that was designed with the help of the children was peace. ACH was one of ten pediatric hospitals nationwide to participate in the tour. The hospital was one of the 14 original pediatric hospitals involved in the program. Now more than 100 hospitals participate.

The Beads of Caring program has been so well received that this past year a Beads of Caring program was started for staff at ACH. Brown said that the program is helpful for staff members to visualize their journey caring for multiple pediatric cancer patients. It can also help with closure when the staff has to deal with losing a patient.

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