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Bravery Bead Program

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

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