Peds Heme-Onc Hero Bead Program
Provided by Badger Childhood Cancer Network
at the American Family Children's Hospital
Hero Beads let kids and teens with cancer or blood disorders commemorate your personal treatment journey in the form of a simple, visible medical record. You will initially receive a cord with letter beads that spell out your first name, plus a Diagnosis bead and a bead representing the American Family Children’s Hospital. Every time you have a procedure or pass a particular milestone, a member of your medical team can give you a special bead to add to your cord of beads. Over time, Hero Beads provide a symbol of each patient’s personal journey, a touchable testament to strength and endurance.
Please talk to your nurse or Child Life specialist about the Hero Bead program. Patients who join the program in mid-treatment are welcome to obtain one or more cords and collect the beads they need to “catch up.” Patients who have already finished treatment or bereaved families may create a set by visiting the BCCN office. Call 608-231-8006 to set up a time to come in.
Here’s the list of available beads, subject to change:
Procedure/Experience |
Bead Description |
Bead |
Air Lift |
Helicopter Charm |
|
American Family Children's Hospital Bead |
White Porcelain Rectangle w/ Red Kids |
 |
Biopsy Complete |
Orange-Yellow-Red Striped Sphere |
 |
Birthday on Treatment |
Balloons Charm |
 |
Blood Culture |
Red-Green Striped Glass Cylinder |
 |
Blood Draw |
Red Metallic Ball |
 |
Blood Transfusion |
Red Heart |
 |
Bone Marrow Aspiration |
Brown & White Swirled Tube |
 |
Bone Marrow or Stem Cell Transplant |
Spiked Rainbow Ball |
 |
Cast |
White Tube bead |
 |
Central Line Surgically In |
'Courage' charm |
 |
Central Line Surgically Out |
Smiley Cube Bead |
 |
Course of Chemo |
Green Wooden Bead |
 |
CT Scan |
Cat Bead |
 |
Day Treatment |
Decorated Wood Oval |
 |
Diagnosis |
Gold Childhood Cancer Ribbon |
 |
Echocardiogram |
Purple Wooden Ball |
 |
End of Treatment |
Boy or Girl Dangle Charm |
 |
Finger Poke |
Pony Bead |
 |
Hair Loss |
Smiling Wood Disc w/ bandana |
 |
ICU/PICU |
Green Turtle |
 |
IM Injection |
Green or Pink Wooden Smiley Bead |
 |
Inpatient Admission |
Bear Bead |
 |
IV Infusion |
Multicolor Glass Flower Bead |
 |
Lumbar Puncture |
Light Blue Disc |
 |
MRI |
Pastel Sun Bead |
 |
Nuclear Med Scan |
Gold Ball |
 |
Oral Med, new |
Butterfly Bead |
 |
PET Scan |
Round Pet Bead |
 |
Platelet Transfusion |
Gold Disc w/ Moon, Heart, Star |
 |
Port Access/IV Placement |
Red Striped Barrel w/ Blue Star |
 |
Radiation |
Blue Porcelain Disc w/ Yellow Sunburst |
 |
Relapse |
'Hope' Charm |
 |
Remission, No Evidence of Disease |
Wooden Smiley Ball |
 |
Sedation |
Pastel Moon Bead |
 |
Shunt Insertion |
Clear Tube |
 |
Stem Cell Harvest |
Spotted Multicolor Glass Bead |
 |
Surgery |
Blue Star |
 |
Total Body Irradiation |
Green Glass Star |
 |
TPN (IV Nutrition) |
Holstein Print Cylinder |
 |
Travel To Distant Treatment Center |
Red Train Bead |
 |
Tube Insertion (chest tube, g-tube, etc) |
Striped Cube Bead |
 |
Ultrasound |
Blue & White Spotted Glass Cylinder (old) Blue glass cylinder (new) |
 |
X-Ray |
White Bone-Shaped Bead |
 |
Wish Granted/ Wish Trip |
Airplane |
 |
WOW Bead (Special Accomplishment) |
Gold Glass Bead with Swirls and Dots |
 |
Years Off Treatment (1, 2, 3, etc.) |
Number Beads |
 |
Safety Warning: To avoid possible choking or strangulation, beads should only be worn with adult supervision. Child should NOT wear beads in bed, while playing, on climbing equipment or while under sedation. Parents of children under age 4 should collect the beads on their child’s behalf and display the strand of beads on the wall or in another safe place.
