Courage Beads

When Lilly was diagnosed with Leukemia, she started a program called "Colors of Courage." When children undergo treatment for serious illnesses, needle sticks, x-rays and hospital stays, they are all painful episodes to be endured. It's a program that awards these brave patients with beads to represent each milestone. It's something the Child Life Specialists do to try and help the kiddos who are sick show others all they have gone through. It's a badge of honor. Lilly is proud of her Color Beads. Lilly gets a new bead for everything she does during treatment. They say Lilly will fill up two to three long strings of Color Beads before she is finished. With every milestone in a patient's treatment, beads are added to help tell a story of understanding, acceptance, and survival unique to each child's journey. They are a constant reminder to take each procedure one day at a time.

Not including Lilly's name, she has already earned 64 color beads. That's a lot for a little girl to go through in just two short months.

Each bead represents something. Whether it's surgery, blood transfusion, port access, spinal tap, hair loss, finger poke, echo-cardiogram. She definitely has a story to tell from these beads. 

This is the Legend to show you which beads Lilly gets for each thing she has done during her treatment. Granted, there are things on that list that she won't get, and things we pray she will never have to get, but you get the idea.

Side note: These sisters love each other immensely! It makes my heart so happy to see the love they have for one another. They need it so much right now in their lives. Lilly misses Emery a lot when she is away from her and I think Emery feels the same way. In the morning or after a nap, one of the first things Emery asks for is "Lilly? Lilly? Lilly?" She says it so cute too! They play so good together and I don't know what one would do without the other. I love my girlies!!!