How We Help
The Beaded Journey
More than a symbolic name, the Beaded Journey is a living, tangible history of our heroes’ battle. It allows families to visually track, honour, and tell the unique story of their child’s treatment, one milestone at a time.
How the Journey Begins
When a child enters our care, we give them a simple leather cord with beads spelling out their name. In that initial moment, the cord is short and light. But as they progress through their treatments, that strand grows alongside them.
Every single bead added to the strand holds a profound meaning:
- Treatment Milestones: Distinct beads representing chemotherapy sessions, radiation, blood transfusions, surgeries, and scans.
- Life’s Moments: Special beads commemorating holidays, birthdays, personal triumphs, and events unique to your family.
- A Spectrum of Bravery: Because no two diagnosis paths are identical, no two strands look the same. Some grow so long they stretch across entire rooms, beautifully illustrating a child’s profound endurance.
Celebrated by Our Community: The Beaded Journey Gala
The Beaded Journey is so central to who we are that it serves as the inspiration for our signature event: The Beaded Journey Gala.
Every year, our community gathers at this incredible event to look at a few strands and remember that while every child’s path through cancer is fundamentally different, the support they receive from us must remain absolute and constant. The Gala shines a spotlight on the physical reminders of what our families endure, turning a child’s medical history into a breathtaking display of community solidarity and hope.
For Our Families: How to Order and Update Your Beads
You can use your program journal to keep track of every milestone as it happens. When you are ready to add to your child’s strand, use the bead order form included in your Beaded Journey bag.
When the time is right for you, it will be our absolute privilege to assist you in preserving this unique keepsake.
Ready to start or add to your child’s strand?
Contact Pamela Learmond, Family Programs Coordinator.
For Our Donors: Fund a Child’s Journey
Behind every bead is a moment of bravery, and behind every strand is a community that cares.
The Beaded Journey program is provided entirely free of charge to our families, ensuring they have a beautiful keepsake of their child’s resilience without any financial burden.
By choosing to fund this program, you directly provide the cords, specialized milestone beads, journals, and ongoing staff support that help families process their medical experiences. Your donation ensures that no child has to walk their path unrecognized.
Donate to the Beaded Journey
To support this specific program, connect with Tracey Thurston, Director of Development.
One Milestone at a Time
