Beads of Courage designed to honor children's battles against serious illnesses

For more than 60,000 children with serious illnesses and their families, beads are more than baubles — they are badges of bravery.

Tucsonan Cannon Molthan, 11, understands the power of each tiny clay and glass sphere.

“Beads of Courage are just this massive validation of every single moment of Cannon’s medical journey for the last eight years. Every single moment is documented in this incredibly colorful strand of strength. That is literally what this is. No one who sees it is not blown away by its impact,” said Cannon’s mother, Kimberly Molthan, who describes his background as “medically complex.”

In Cannon’s case, that complexity has involved a range of gastrointestinal issues including a nonfunctioning colon and a partially-paralyzed stomach. Numerous procedures — some on a daily basis — and multiple surgeries finally resulted in placement of a feeding tube last November in an effort to completely rest his stomach in hopes of an eventual “gastric reboot.” Cannon’s diagnoses also include autism, a seizure disorder and other conditions.

Every medical procedure Cannon has undergone has been marked by a Bead of Courage, and the promise of new beads has often served as a beacon through difficult and painful times, said Kimberly.

She said Cannon’s thousands of beads — which weigh about 7 pounds — provide both a detailed chronicle of a medical journey that might otherwise be lost in a haze of exhaustion, and also a tangible reminder of Cannon’s power and resilience.

“For Cannon, the world looks different. I don’t know how much he completely understands, but I feel like the sheer weight of his beads resonates with him. When he holds them, he can literally go through anything and be OK,” Kimberly said.

The nonprofit Beads of Courage, which was founded in 2005 by Jean Gribbon, is dedicated to helping children with serious illnesses record their stories of survival through beads.

Gribbon was inspired to start the nonprofit while pursuing her Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Arizona. It was there that she realized there was a need for interventions to support quality of life for children coping with cancer treatments.

“Working as a pediatric nurse, I felt compelled to give my patients something — not as a reward, but to honor the courage I would bear witness to every day while caring for them. Then, while working as a camp nurse at one of Paul Newman’s therapeutic recreation camps for children, I observed the power of beads to help healing happen. My curiosity about how to better support children’s emotional needs and my passion for nursing science got the best of me, which led to creation of the first Beads of Courage bead guide,” said Gribbon.

The flagship Beads of Courage program has since expanded to 250 children’s hospitals in eight countries as it seeks to impact the treatment experience for children coping with chronic, life-threatening illness. Locally, a 2017 grant from Angel Charity for Children facilitated an Arts-in-Medicine Program to provide more than 20 hours weekly of visual, literary and performing arts for seriously ill children, their families and clinicians through Banner-Diamond Children’s Medical Center.

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Additionally, this year the nonprofit will launch a Bead Strong Program nationally to provide hospitalized children with moments of mindfulness while they complete art activities developed by a Beads of Courage art therapist.

Gribbon emphasized the ongoing importance of individual donors to the nonprofit’s mission as it continues to grow.

“Our organization is 100 percent funded by the public. With every $15 we raise, we can provide 500 Beads of Courage, which is the average number one child will receive during one year of treatment for a serious illness. With every $150 we raise, we can provide up to 10 hours of art experiences for hospitalized children through our Angel Charity Arts in Medicine Program,” she said.

The Arts in Medicine Program brings artists, dancers, musicians, theatrical performances and writers into the hospital to work directly with patients, their siblings and families; even patients in isolation can receive bedside therapy.

The benefits are amazing, according to Lori Mitts, senior manager of the Child Life Department for Banner-Diamond Children’s.

“When patients are in the hospital, they don’t have a lot of choices and this is a wonderful outlet for them to be able to choose something fun to do to help cope. Many patients and their families experience a lot of stress and anxiety and when we can have community partners come in and provide outlets for self-expression, it makes a huge difference in their hospitalization,” said Mitts.

The public will have the opportunity to learn more about Beads of Courage programs at the Second Annual Beads, Blues and Beer Festival on Feb. 9. The fundraiser, which seeks to raise $20,000 to benefit Beads of Courage programs, will feature music, craft beers, food trucks, shopping and make-and-take bead-stringing activities.