St. Jude Beads Helps Make A Child’s Cancer A Teachable Moment

Cancer is scary no matter what the age. If you're a child trying to understand what is happening, let alone trying to tell others about it can be hard.

St. Jude has a special way to make a child's cancer into a teachable moment for all to understand, including the child themselves with beads.

When I visited St. Jude Children's Research Hospital three weeks ago, They showed us a really cool way for kids to understand what was happening to them as they went through their cancer treatments.

Each child is given specific beads to string together that marks moments during their journey. Each bead stands for something.

For instance, if they need to have their blood drawn there's a specific bead that is color coded for blood work. Or if they have Chemo there's another they receive when they go through it. They receive a bead for everything they experience along their journey from beginning to end.

These beads not only help the child grasp a hold of what is happening to them but also is a way for them to teach others about what their going through. Sometimes words to describe what is happening to them is hard, but a bead that stands for something is easy to recall and show others what it's about.

I think that's absolutely awesome. St. Jude turns something negative into a positive. They no longer have to have fear of what's happening but in a way they have control to explain and understand and to keep going.

Something that stuck out, during our tour, when the guides were telling about the beads was that there was a child going through treatment that strand of beads was so long the family uses it as garland on their Christmas tree every year.

Wow! Can you imagine? I can't.

Programs like the beads  are part of their art therapy that every child receives going through St. Jude.

I'm in awe of how St. Jude thinks of everything that a child would think, feel, and go through and finds ways to give them strength and control during a very dark and a scary time.

Programs like these are funded through the giving hearts of those who become Partners in Hope with St. Jude.

Until the day that they can totally eradicate cancer from the face of the earth, programs like these need to survive to help children and their families as they go through this trial.

If you'd like to become a Partner In Hope you can make a pledge of $20 a month and will receive that awesome "This Shirt Saves Lives" t-shirt,  by calling 1-800-372-4999, give online by clicking here, or text to give by texting WXXQ to 785833 and click the link to St. Jude to donate.