Beads of courage

Beads of Courage is a unique program designed to honour the challenging journey kids take while receiving care for cancer.

Each collection of Beads of Courage symbolizes the courage and honours the milestones achieved along the treatment path.
 

How does the beads program work?

Each child who is a Beads of Courage member firstly receives a string with beads that spell out their first name. Then, colourful beads that visually represent the many challenges they have overcome along the treatment journey are added to the string to tell their unique story of courage.

Every time something from the bead guide is experienced a bead is given by their health professional to add to their Beads of Courage collection. These Beads of Courage are used to tell and show friends and family all of their experiences of courage and they are encouraged to display these proudly and to have fun!
 

Meet Hana Ellis-Kaa...

In August 2007 Hana diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL).

Receiving 824 beads on the Beads of Courage programme from 26 months of treatment, the confident six year old completed her treatment in October 2009. Hana has been strong throughout the various procedures she has had to undergo.

Her mother, Ngarino Ellis, is planning on having the beads framed so Hana can reflect back on the journey she has been through.
 

Sibling Beads 

The Sibling Beads programme is exclusively for siblings of children with cancer and recognises the impact cancer has on brothers and sisters and the many special ways that these siblings help their family members.  The different beads acknowledge the many brave and courageous acts and caring challenges siblings face during the cancer journey.
 

Thank you

We would like to thank New Zealand Glass Bead Artists for donating such special glass beads to our Beads of Courage programme.  These glass beads are given to children with cancer for their courage, when they have a bone transplant and at the end of their treatment when they receive a beautiful purple heart.

NZ Glass Bead Artists have kindly donated over 3,000 beads to children with cancer and are continually adding to this every month.  The time, materials and creativity that goes into these special beads is greatly appreciated.

Click here for more information about NZ Glass Bead Artists