Beads of Courage Studio Partner -
Open Studios
(List of our amazing partners and their open studios coming soon!)
Thursday, August 18, 2022
Monday, May 9, 2022
Celebrating Nurses Week - Nurses Make a Difference - Meet our Nursing Staff
Beads of Courage, Inc. is proud to employ staff from all fields and experiences to serve our mission to provide innovative arts in medicine programs for children and teens coping with serious illness, their families, and the clinicians who care for them.
May is Nurses Month - A month-long celebration of the nursing profession which allows for greater opportunities to promote understanding and appreciation of the invaluable contributions of nurses. This year’s theme is Nurses Make a Difference - to honor the varying roles of nurses and their positive impact on our lives. Nurses make a difference as trusted advocates who ensure individuals, families, and populations receive quality patient care and services. Beads of Courage, Inc. joins in on the celebration and extends our deepest gratitude to the nurses on our team who dedicate their time, talent, and expertise to support our mission. We also celebrate and extend this gratitude to all the nurses worldwide who partner with us and use Beads of Courage programs to transform the science of caring.
Becca Gladden (former RN, CEN,
CEP, ACLS, PALS) – Director of Development
When I was around 12 years old,
I read an article about a doctor who saved someone's life at the scene of an
accident on an isolated road. At that moment, I realized I wanted to be the
person who knew what to do in an emergency -- not the person waiting for
someone who knew what to do. After becoming one of the first female paramedics
in Arizona, I became an RN/CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) and worked in
several ERs, including a Level One Trauma Center. I have since left nursing,
but I am grateful to have found a home at Beads of Courage. Supporting children
and families coping with serious illness gives me the opportunity to continue
to be of service to others at a difficult time in their lives.
__________________________________________________________________________
Ashley Lapointe, BSN, RN,
PHN- Beads in the Mail Program Manager
Ashley was born in Kenya and
lived in California for most of her upbringing. She graduated with a Bachelor
of Science in Nursing from Biola University.
She worked as a Registered Nurse at City of Hope, in California in the
inpatient Pediatric Oncology/Hematology/BMT unit for four years. City of Hope was one of the first hospitals
to start the Beads of Courage program in 2005 and Ashley was a BOC Ambassador
before becoming the BOC Site Coordinator in 2007. She developed a heart for touching lives
through the Beads of Courage program.
Ashley has been managing the Beads in the Mail Program remotely from her
home in Baltimore since 2011. She enjoys
spending time with her husband, three kids (Audrey, Elliott, and Adeline), pets
(Amazon parrot, greyhound, and Box turtle), and dozens of house plants.
__________________________________________________________________________
Jean Gribbon, Ph.D., RN – Executive Director, Founder
Dr. Jean Gribbon is the
Executive Director of Beads of Courage, Inc. a non-profit organization she
founded in March of 2005.
She has both her Bachelor’s in
the Science of Nursing and her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Arizona,
College of Nursing. Her nursing career
has been diverse including working in a cell biology lab doing breast cancer
research; conducting pharmacology studies in the neonatal intensive care unit;
and managing a research study to help mothers with breast cancer and their
children. Her clinical experience caring
for children coping with cancer both at the bedside and as a camp nurse at one
of Paul Newman’s camps inspired her to create a coping intervention for
children coping with cancer.
The Beads of Courage Program
which began as her doctoral dissertation has now grown to be a standard of care
in more than 400 children’s hospitals in 9 countries as a form of narrative
medicine to help children coping with cancer and other serious illness record,
tell and own their story of courage using colorful beads as meaningful symbols
of their treatment journey.
Jean lives in Tucson with her
three kids – Luke (19 years), Aiden (18 years), and Brooke (15 years). When not
pursuing the mission of Beads of Courage with passion, you will find Jean
enjoying live music (especially folk music with a banjo), hiking, biking, and
cooking for her family.
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Friday, March 11, 2022
Happy Child Life Month - Meet our Child Life Specialists at Beads of Courage!
Beads of Courage, Inc. is proud to employ staff from all fields and experiences to serve our mission to provide innovative arts in medicine programs for children and teens coping with serious illness, their families, and the clinicians who care for them.
March
celebrates the work of child life specialists across the globe as they prioritize the emotional safety of
children, youth, and families impacted by healthcare and other significant life experiences. Beads of Courage, Inc. joins in on the
celebration and extends our deepest gratitude to the Certified Child Life Specialists on our team who dedicate their time, talent, and expertise to support our mission. We also celebrate and extend this gratitude to all the child life specialists worldwide who partner with us and use Beads of Courage programs to transform the science of caring.
Krista Burgbacher, MS, CCLS - Program Director
Krista was raised in Western Pennsylvania and currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, two daughters (and two cats!). She has a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences from West Virginia University with a focus in Child Development and Family Studies. She also holds a Master of Science in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh with a focus in Child Life. She has been a certified Child Life Specialist for over 20 years with clinical experience in the pediatric and adult hospital setting and in community-based non-profit organizations. She has been with Beads of Courage since 2017. She spends her free time with her family and friends and enjoys being outdoors, skiing, and seeing live music.
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Lindsie Padden BS, CCLS - Program Manager
Lindsie was born and raised in Oklahoma and currently lived there with her husband, daughter, and two furbabies. Lindsie attended Oklahoma State University (Go Pokes!) and fell in love with the field of child life. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences and has been a Certified Child Life Specialist for over 10 years. Throughout her career, she has served pediatric patients with several life-threatening illnesses in the hospital setting. During her time at the hospital, Lindsie helped to create several special projects to support the unique needs of her patient populations like prom, a teen group, and a closed-circuit television channel. Lindsie joined the Beads of Courage team in 2021 and loves supporting patients and families around the world with Beads of Courage.
__________________________________________________________________________
Molly celebrated her first year with Beads of Courage as a Program Manager this year. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Applied Developmental Psychology and received her MS in Child Life from Bank Street College. Before joining the Beads of Courage team, Molly used her child life and child development education in various roles - from a Certified Child Life Specialist at John R. Oishei Children's Hospital to a Child Development Researcher at Fisher-Price. Molly spent most of her life in Pennsylvania, but after graduating from college, she moved to Western New York. This is now where Molly calls home with her husband, son, and beagle. Molly enjoys doing all things outdoors (skiing, hiking, and golfing), spending time with family and friends, and cooking.
_________________________________________________________________________
Assistant Executive Director
Beth joined Beads of Courage, Inc. after
working nine years as a Certified Child Life Specialist I and II, and Interim
Manager of Child Life, Volunteer Services, and Family Resource Center at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Beth served as a Beads of Courage
Ambassador for those coping with cardiac conditions for six years. Beth holds a BS in Psychology and Neuroscience from Allegheny College, a MS in Applied
Developmental Psychology with a focus in Child Life from the University of Pittsburgh, and is a Certified
Infant Massage Instructor. Beth says her favorite part of her job is supporting
our BOC team, donors, and interdisciplinary staff all over the world to support
kids and families coping with serious medical experiences. Beth lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, daughter, dog, and two cats. In her free time, she enjoys time with her family and friends, enjoying music, fishing,
gardening, and being outdoors.
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
This Holiday Season, Say YES to Hope!
Dear Friend,
HOPE.
It’s what the holiday season is all about.
At Beads of Courage, hope is a mainstay. For children like Noah and his family, hope is everything.
HOPE.
It’s what the holiday season is all about.
At Beads of Courage, hope is a mainstay. For children like Noah and his family, hope is everything.
Six-year-old Noah is facing his second difficult battle with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. He thought he had the battle won in 2018. But in October of this year, his family received the devastating news that he had relapsed.Noah’s fight is very real. He is in constant pain. He battles fevers and exhaustion. His skin is peeling. He’s covered with bruises. He can’t eat. He can’t sleep.
“Cancer is a bad word,” Noah says. “I can’t say it right now because I am a little kid. But when I grow up, I am going to call cancer that bad word.”
On every step of Noah’s courageous journey – his second such journey in three years – Beads of Courage is there. For every test, treatment and procedure – the lumbar punctures, the platelet transfusions, the nights spent in the hospital and so much more – there is a bead.
A bead to lift his spirits. A bead to honor his courage. A bead to give him hope.
2,800 beads in all. And counting.
“Noah’s beads help him have hope,” his mom Martha says. “They remind him he can do hard things. They remind him how far he has come.”
Hope has been described as a passion for the possible. At Beads of Courage, we are passionate about helping kids coping with serious illness. And we know what is possible when kids like Noah receive beads to encourage them to stay strong and keep on fighting.
We know because we have seen it every day for the past 18 years. Beads given at the bedside are spirit-lifting, which can be lifesaving in the moment.
This year alone, Beads of Courage will give out more than 15 million beads to the brave children we help in 400 children’s hospitals around the world. Every bead tells a unique story of courage, honor, and hope for a child coping with cancer or another serious illness.
This holiday season, I invite you to be part of our mission of hope and healing. Say yes to making a difference in the lives of courageous kids like Noah and more than 60,000 others we support.
Say yes to hope.
Please visit our website at www.beadsofcourage.org and click on the SAY YES TO HOPE campaign, or send your donation using the remit card attached.
Thank you for making a difference through your compassion and generosity. May the holiday spirit be with you and your family today and throughout the New Year.
With gratitude,
Jean Gribbon, PhD, RN
Founder and Executive DirectorPS – Donate
$250 or more to our holiday appeal and we will honor you with a beautiful artist-made
glass bead on ASPIRE: A SPIRE OF HOPE.
The Aspire sculpture at Beads of Courage headquarters is a visible and tangible manifestation of the courage of our members and an enduring tribute to their strength and resilience.
Read more about Aspire here!
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
INSTAGRAM LINKS
Looking for newer blog posts? Please visit our new and updated blog at HERE. Thanks!
# # #
LOOKING FOR A LINK TO SOMETHING YOU SAW IN AN INSTAGRAM POST? FIND IT HERE!
20TH ANNIVERSARY OF BEADS OF COURAGE
- Share your Beads of Courage memories, photos, and videos from the last 20 years of Beads of Courage!
CARRY A BEAD:
DONATE:
- 20th Anniversary - Forever Home Fund
- 20th Anniversary - Sustaining Programs Fund
- Aspire - A Spire of Hope
- Courage Keepers - Monthly Giving
- El Tour de Tucson - Team Beads of Courage
- Beads Connect Us, Love Unites Us - Share the love for Beads of Courage!
- Matching Gifts - Does your company match donations?
- Beads at Home Sponsorship for Realtors, Home Builders, and Mortgage Lenders
EVENTS:
IN-KIND DONATIONS:
PHOTO/VIDEO SUBMISSIONS:
PODCAST APPEARANCES:
PROGRAMS & SERVICES:
SHOPPING:
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Major League Baseball Manager Carries Beads to Encourage Kids
Toronto Blue Jays Manager Charlie Montoyo
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwing - USA TODAY Sports
For the sixth consecutive year, Beads of Courage (BOC) is honored to have Major League Baseball's Charlie Montoyo carrying beads at every Toronto Blue Jays practice and game throughout the entire season.
In the photo above, Charlie is wearing his custom Beads of Courage bracelet. The artist-made glass beads on the bracelet were hand-selected in the blue and white team colors of the Blue Jays and made into a bracelet so Charlie can wear it while actively managing his team.
The Montoyo family first encountered Beads of Courage when their young son Alex participated in the flagship BOC program during treatment for a serious congenital heart defect. The program helps children coping with serious illness by providing a visual and tangible way to chronicle their medical journey and celebrate treatment milestones.
"Beads of Courage is such an important program to help kids tell their stories," says Charlie. "My son became a member 13-1/2 years ago and I’m excited to be able to wear beads for kids with medical conditions like his."
Charlie is an honored member of Team Beads of Courage through our Carry a Bead program, which invites the public, including athletes and celebrities, to literally "carry" or wear beads during an activity or event.
Each bead that is carried is returned to us, packaged with a handwritten note of encouragement, and presented to a child in the BOC program as an Act of Courage bead – a special and coveted bead given on a tough treatment day. These beads remind children who are fighting for their lives to stay strong and remember they are never alone.
We invite YOU to carry a bead like Charlie Montoyo to support kids coping with serious illness with our Special-Edition Baseball Carry a Bead kit.
Each kit contains two beads on a safety pin for you to carry or wear to a baseball practice or game ... even T-ball counts! Return one bead and your note of encouragement which will be given to a child in the Beads of Courage program. Also included is a fun backpack clip with a baseball bead and BOC logo bead for you to keep, along with the official Team Beads of Courage pewter charm.
Our Baseball Carry a Bead kits are just $15 each and proceeds help fund our nonprofit mission of hope and healing for kids coping with cancer and other serious illnesses.
You can also support BOC with our Logo Baseball Shirts and Ball Caps. Just click on the links or images to visit our website.
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of kids coping with serious illness.
You're our MVP!
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About Beads of Courage: The mission of Beads of Courage is to provide innovative arts-in-medicine programs for children coping with cancer and other serious illness, their families, and the clinicians who care for them. Beads of Courage programs are evidence-based interventions designed to strengthen resilience, alleviate suffering, and improve the psychosocial adjustment process. Beads of Courage is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. For more information or to donate, visit www.beadsofcourage.org.
Sunday, April 11, 2021
Collaborate with Brenda Schweder: Art Jewelry Auction for Beads of Courage
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