First responders 'Carry A Bead' to honor sick children

To the Editor:
On Oct. 14 Palermo Heart to Heart joined with first responders to announce a statewide program that allows them to "Carry A Bead" in honor of a child in treatment for serious chronic illnesses.

Carry A Bead is part of the Beads of Courage program, an arts in medicine program that helps children record, tell and own their stories of courage during treatment for cancer and other serious illness. Through the signature Beads of Courage Program, children receive colorful beads that symbolize their treatment journey.

The way the program works is first responders will wear two glass beads during their tour of duty, after which they will keep one bead as a memento of their participation in the program and the other bead will be returned along with a note of encouragement to children in member hospitals located across the state. The beads carried by first responders become “Act of Courage” beads, given on tough treatment days to provide an extra dose of encouragement and help children stay strong in their fight.

Together with the following department representatives they are calling on other first responders throughout Pennsylvania to answer the call to Carry A Bead:

Butler Township
City of Wilkes Barre Police

City of Wilkes Barre Fire Fighters

Dallas Township Police
Freeland Borough

Hazleton City Fire Fighters
Hazleton Police Department

Sugarloaf Township
Weatherly Borou

West Hazleton Borough
White Haven Borough

First responders wishing to participate should visit palermo-foundation.org to order a First Responders Carry A Bead kit.

In 2011 the Palermo Heart to Heart choose Beads of Courage as their charity of choice and became the regional sponsor for the program in Pennsylvania. Currently Palermo Heart to Heart financially supports four Pennsylvania children’s hospital. They are Geisinger Janet Weis, Penn State Hershey, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh at UPMC and Children’s Home and Lemieux Family Center also in Pittsburgh.

David Palermo
President, Palermo Heart to Heart

Drums, Pa.