Beads of Courage® enable children to tell their story using colourful beads as meaningful symbols of courage.
Every bead marks the courage displayed throughout their treatment and gives children and young people something tangible they can use to understand and explain their experiences.
Every child is unique, every treatment path is unique and every string of beads is unique.
Beads of Courage® is designed to support and strengthen children and teens with cancer and their siblings. It has been proven to decrease stress, increase positive coping strategies and help children find meaning in illness.
We are delighted to sponsor the Beads of Courage® programme in Ireland and to offer it to children, teens and siblings through our Beads at Home Programme and at through CHI at Crumlin.
How to get involved?
There are two ways to get involved in the programme.
Beads at Home
Beads at Home is a convenient way to join the Beads of Courage® Programme and receive your Beads at regular intervals in the post. Once enrolled in Beads at Home, you will receive your starter pack, which includes all Programme materials and instructions.
Beads of Courage® at CHI at Crumlin
In CHI at Crumlin, we offer the programme through the Play Specialists on St John’s Ward and on the Day Ward. Please speak to one of the Play Specialists about the programme and they will get you started.
Once enrolled on the programme, your child will receive beads for all of their treatments and procedures, as well as special courage beads along the way.
Join at any stage
You can join the programme at any stage. If you missed out early in treatment but would like to join now, you are welcome! Just contact us to find out more.
How does it work?
Once enrolled, you will receive
- A Beads of Courage® Journal
- A length of string
- Beads which spell out your child’s name
- A bag to store your beads. These bags are lovingly made by women in the Marlay Guild ICA and come in various materials to suit different ages and interests.
Keep a record of your child’s procedures and treatments in the journal and your child will receive a colourful Bead for each one, either directly from Childhood Cancer Ireland or from one of the Play Specialists in St. John’s Ward or Day Ward.
As beads are added to their Beads of Courage® collection, children and teens can RECORD, TELL, and OWN their stories of courage!
Sibling Beads of Courage
A diagnosis of childhood or adolescent cancer has a huge impact on the entire family. The Sibling Beads Programme recognises the important role siblings play in every family and allows siblings to work through their emotions and fears as they journey alongside their brother or sister who has cancer.
Sibling Beads focuses on themes which help siblings cope and provide talking points to encourage communication and healing opportunities at home. You can use the Beads during times of significant change as a way to connect with and support siblings.
When you enrol in the Sibling Beads Programme, you will receive a Sibling Kit with everything you need to get started at home, including:
- Sibling Programme Guidebook
- Sibling Programme Facilitator Guide for parents and clinicians
- Letter beads of the sibling’s name
- 8 Bead Kits for you to use at home
Carry a Bead
Are you taking part in a personal challenge like a marathon or other physical challenge this year? You can make it even more special by taking part in the Carry a Bead Programme and supporting a child on the Beads of Courage® Programme.
You will receive two beads to bring with you on your challenge (they can easily be tied to your laces). At the end, you keep one bead, and the other is given to a child undergoing treatment for cancer.
When you Carry a Bead, you share your own special achievement or experience with a child or teen who needs encouragement on a tough treatment day.
Your compassion, love, and good intentions are infused into the bead you carry and return, which will be packaged with a handwritten note card and given to a child or teen with cancer.
These special beads become part of their strand of strength as powerful reminders that we are all connected in courage.
We also have Team Carry beads available so if your running club or sports team are taking part in an important game or race why not consider fundraising for Childhood Cancer Ireland and carrying a bead along the way!
Carry
Wear your beads during a personal or physical challenge or event in honour of a child or teen on the Beads of Courage® Programme. It’s a simple act of compassion that will carry such meaning for a child who is sick.
Collect
Keep your bead to symbolise your shared strength.
Connect
Share your experiences and words of encouragement on the enclosed story card. Return it with one bead to be given to a child or teen on a tough day.