What is the bravery Bead Program?
The Bravery Heart Bead Program is meant to help children, youth and families who are experiencing a serious illness to collect beads that represent their unique journey. Each bead is a symbol of a procedure or aspect of health care. The collection of beads tells a story of challenges and strength.
How the program work?
The child life specialist who follows the diagnosis that you child has can help you to get started. Each child or youth diagnosed with a serious illness and treated in the Children’s Health Program at the IWK Health Care Centre can participate. Each patients bead collection starts with a multi-coloured string, beads to spell their first name, an IWK bead and a Child Life bead. Beads are collected for medical procedures and other aspects of care.
See below to view a legend outlining what each bead represents.
The sale of Bravery Heart Bead merchandise at the IWK Biggs & Littles Gift Shoppe helps support the Bravery Heart Bead Program. Online purchases can be made at www.braveryhearts.com. When you designate the IWK Health Centre as your hospital, proceeds from sales help to support the Bravery Heart Bead Program at IWK Health Centre.
Bravery Bead Legend
| HEALTH CARE EVENT | BEAD TYPE/COLOUR |
|---|---|
| IWK | Blue Swirl |
| Child Life | Glass polka-dot |
| Buddington | Bumpy Bead |
| Biopsy | Purple Butterfly |
| Birthday | Balloons |
| Bone Marrow | Large "B" |
| Central Line (PICC, Port) | Red Kiss |
| Clinic Visit | Auto |
| Dialysis | Small Heart |
| Dressing Change | Crystal Jewel |
| Emergency/Ambulance | Yellow Jewel |
| Heart Cath. | Small Gold Heart |
| ICU Admission | Teddy Bear |
| Inpatient Admission | Orange Pony |
| Intra Muscular Injection | Bumble Bee |
| Isolation | Amethyst Jewel |
| IV Start | Fluorescent Green |
| Life Flight | Airplane |
| Losing Hair | Wooden Face |
| Lumbar Puncture | Sapphire Jewel |
| New Diagnosis | Dolphin |
| Outpatient Infusion/Chemo | Iridescent Blue |
| Peripheral Lab Draw/Bloodwork | Iridescent Raspberry |
| Pet therapy | Dog |
| Port Access | Turquoise Jewel |
| Radiation | White Glow Pony |
| Rehabilitation (OT, PT, Speech) | Soccer Ball |
| Respiratory (oxygen, aerosol, etc.) | Navy Pony |
| Sedation | Topaz Jewel |
| Surgery | Lion |
| Test/Scan (MRI, CT, Xray, etc.) | Stars |
| Nutrition | Yellow Wooden |
| Transfusion | Red Jewel |
| Transplant | Large Heart |
| Tube Insertion (chest, NG, etc.) | Flowers |
| Tube/Line Removal | Fish |
| WOW/Special Accomplishment | Smiley Face |