Carolina Caring Foundation awards grant to Cardinal Kids Beads of Courage® Program

For children living with serious illnesses, typical childhood milestones are often replaced with ones that can feel much bleaker. Instead of celebrating achievements such as scoring a goal in a first soccer game, they may spend their days navigating hospital stays, treatments, and infusions.

To help children celebrate medical milestones and combat feelings of isolation, Carolina Caring’s Cardinal Kids launched Beads of Courage® in 2023.

Seeing its positive and growing impact on the community, the Carolina Caring Foundation has awarded a $5,000 Gift Back Grant to the Cardinal Kids Beads of Courage® program.

Beads of Courage® is a nationally recognized program that celebrates the progress of children living through serious medical illnesses and conditions. Through the program, patients and their siblings collect colorful beads signifying their courage and achievement as they experience the hardships of living with a serious illness.

The Cardinal Kids Beads of Courage® program has since seen rising participation from patients, supporting 60 participants in the last year.

“At Carolina Caring Foundation, we believe compassionate care extends far beyond medical services,” said Tara Bland, executive director of Carolina Caring Foundation. “Programs like Beads of Courage create opportunities for children and families to celebrate victories, preserve memories, and find moments of joy during incredibly difficult circumstances. We are honored to support Cardinal Kids and grateful for the donors whose generosity makes investments like this possible.”

The Carolina Caring Foundation’s investment of $5,000 will be used for purchasing and distributing beads to its supported treatment centers as the demand continues to grow.

Cassidy Hahn, Carolina Caring’s marketing and communications coordinator, said that she believes the program’s success is largely due to its inclusion of patients’ siblings and other family members. The grant will allow the program to continue expanding and serve more children.

“It allows them [the family] to learn, process, and experience what living with a serious illness is like,” she said. “It really brings the families together.”

Cardinal Kids has supported children with serious illnesses since 2019. The program brings joy and support to the patient and their families as they navigate the difficult healthcare journey.