Carolina For The Kids has recently partnered with The Beads of Courage Sibling Program. Beads of Courage was designed to provide a child with a way to emotionally deal with their hospital stay. The Beads of Courage Sibling program does the same thing, but for siblings!

The purpose of this program is to honor, support and acknowledge a sibling's emotional journey when the serious illness of a brother or sister impacts their lives. The Program, for $25 per kit, includes a colorful Program Guide with a lanyard, a facilitation guide, and 25 unique beads with intention cards. The beads are packaged in 8 kits with 3 beads to a bag with colorful collector cards. The collector cards are intention cards provided with each bead that describe the bead’s symbolism, include themes relevant to the coping support of a sibling, and talking points provided to encourage communication and healing opportunities. The themes that are present throughout the program are: Strength, hope, relaxation, protection, friendship, happiness, leadership, and growth.

It is exciting for us to partner with Sibling Beads of Courage because, similarly to Carolina For The Kids, Beads of Courage, Inc. believes in providing family-focused support. They recognize that every child thrives in a supportive context that includes their family and the professional healthcare providers who care for them. Their quality of life is directly impacted by their family, their caring clinicians, and the community where they live. The Beads of Courage® Sibling Program will promote opportunities for siblings to communicate with medical staff or their family while they talk about their beads and the meanings. It will also provide a source of encouragement to the sibling who needs to know that they are not alone during a very challenging time for them and their family.
During a recent interview with Meghan Fox, the pediatric Hematology-Oncology Psychosocial Support program Coordinator and CPALS Advisor, we were able to ask her all about the Sibling Beads of courage program.
What is Sibling Beads?
The Beads of Courage program is a way for patients and families to tell their story in a visible and tangible way and recognize their strength and bravery and track their journey as time goes on. Sibling beads is similar because it helps siblings be able to tell their stories as well. The program honors, supports and acknowledges a siblings journey when a brother or sister is sick. It is also a way for healthcare providers to involve the siblings and make sure that their emotions and needs are being especially when they are focused on the patient.
The Beads of Courage program is a way for patients and families to tell their story in a visible and tangible way and recognize their strength and bravery and track their journey as time goes on. Sibling beads is similar because it helps siblings be able to tell their stories as well. The program honors, supports and acknowledges a siblings journey when a brother or sister is sick. It is also a way for healthcare providers to involve the siblings and make sure that their emotions and needs are being especially when they are focused on the patient.
What impact do you see the beads having on the patients and families?
It helps improve overall quality of life especially when a child’s daily routine is impacted by hospital stays and frequent clinical appointments. It facilitates quality time with patient and caregiver and provides a tangible way to express various emotions in their experience related to brothers/sisters illness.
It helps improve overall quality of life especially when a child’s daily routine is impacted by hospital stays and frequent clinical appointments. It facilitates quality time with patient and caregiver and provides a tangible way to express various emotions in their experience related to brothers/sisters illness.
What need do you see Sibling Beads filling in the hospital?
Each bead describes symbols and themes that assist in the healing process. The beads provide strength, hope, relaxation, friendship and happiness but Meghan expressed that this program is only skimming the surface. She mentioned the hospital lacking sibling support or care directed towards siblings but this program is providing a way for healthcare providers and family members to interact with the sibling of a child dealing with an illness. The Sibling bead’s have started providing this type of support and Meghan hopes to build off of this to create or find more support and coping mechanisms for siblings in the future.
Each bead describes symbols and themes that assist in the healing process. The beads provide strength, hope, relaxation, friendship and happiness but Meghan expressed that this program is only skimming the surface. She mentioned the hospital lacking sibling support or care directed towards siblings but this program is providing a way for healthcare providers and family members to interact with the sibling of a child dealing with an illness. The Sibling bead’s have started providing this type of support and Meghan hopes to build off of this to create or find more support and coping mechanisms for siblings in the future.
How has Carolina For the Kid’s funding impacted the Sibling Beads program?
Meghan stated that CFTK’s funding is incredibly and sincerely appreciated. Beads can be pricey because they come with a lot of supplies in each kit but with CFTK, the funding to continue to run and support the program is present. There is a huge desire to keep this program going and even build upon it so the funding CFTK provides really helps make these dreams come true.
This is such an exciting opportunity for Carolina For The Kids and really highlights the immediate effects the Foundation has on the Patients and families at UNC Children’s Hospital.
Meghan stated that CFTK’s funding is incredibly and sincerely appreciated. Beads can be pricey because they come with a lot of supplies in each kit but with CFTK, the funding to continue to run and support the program is present. There is a huge desire to keep this program going and even build upon it so the funding CFTK provides really helps make these dreams come true.
This is such an exciting opportunity for Carolina For The Kids and really highlights the immediate effects the Foundation has on the Patients and families at UNC Children’s Hospital.