Finn's Beads of Courage Story
I am Kelly, mom to a miracle heart warrior named Finn (prayer page Prayers for Finn) and blog contributor to a great comfort blanket company that gives back called Baby Jack. Baby Jack & Co tries to raise awareness for causes and supports my mission to spread kindness and support for other kids in need. As a mom to a heart warrior and follower to many great companies that make a difference, I want to talk to you all today about a really special program called beads of courage. If you haven’t heard of it, definitely look it up! No every hospital and medical facility does their program a different way. So make sure to ask the social worker at your local children’s hospital for more details.
This is our story with beads of courage!
Beads of Courage is a program that is 100% funded by donations. Individual beads represent triumphs and victories that your child has gone through. It could be something as simple as a blood draw, or something as complex as completing chemotherapy - read more about their cause. In our case, it was heart disease. Eventually, we had so many beads after his most recent open heart surgery and 14th procedure, that I felt it was time to document this.
My very sweet friend and neighbor Stephanie Tignor, who also happens to be a wonderful and well known photographer, was both brilliant and brave enough to take on this challenge and make our vision come true. She had all of the beads wrapped around his shoulders and if you look on the ground there is a huge pile of them. It’s amazing that he has been through so much but as you can see by the photo, he is still standing! She also put red balloons behind him each with some one written on them to think people who have brought him to where he is today.
The beads are currently wrapped safely and tight in a special box in his room. They are beautiful but they are also fragile. Most of them are glass or Clay. And a lot of them are hand done. They are just really special.
I hope that parents, no matter what your child is going through, even if you just have to get a simple procedure, that you really research this program with your local children’s hospital. It’s been a wonderful memory and something tangible for us to have to show our son not just what he has been through but what he has accomplished.
Cheers to beads of courage and the courage that all these kids have! May they continue to inspire us.
This is our story with beads of courage!
Beads of Courage is a program that is 100% funded by donations. Individual beads represent triumphs and victories that your child has gone through. It could be something as simple as a blood draw, or something as complex as completing chemotherapy - read more about their cause. In our case, it was heart disease. Eventually, we had so many beads after his most recent open heart surgery and 14th procedure, that I felt it was time to document this.
My very sweet friend and neighbor Stephanie Tignor, who also happens to be a wonderful and well known photographer, was both brilliant and brave enough to take on this challenge and make our vision come true. She had all of the beads wrapped around his shoulders and if you look on the ground there is a huge pile of them. It’s amazing that he has been through so much but as you can see by the photo, he is still standing! She also put red balloons behind him each with some one written on them to think people who have brought him to where he is today.
The beads are currently wrapped safely and tight in a special box in his room. They are beautiful but they are also fragile. Most of them are glass or Clay. And a lot of them are hand done. They are just really special.
I hope that parents, no matter what your child is going through, even if you just have to get a simple procedure, that you really research this program with your local children’s hospital. It’s been a wonderful memory and something tangible for us to have to show our son not just what he has been through but what he has accomplished.
Cheers to beads of courage and the courage that all these kids have! May they continue to inspire us.
