The Beads; the Story Tellers of Bravery, Hope and Strength

“Mom, do you remember what did I get these butterflies for?”

“Of course dear! You have celebrated two birthdays of yours at MAHAK.”

I never forget the day we came here and got to know my daughter has been diagnosed with cancer. Even its name could have wiped away all my wishes and hopes. We must start treatment process immediately. She was so fidgety. A social worker gave her a string and a bead, a striped stony bead. While my daughter was listening to her with excitement about the bead and the necklace she will make; I was thinking by myself how that small bead supposed to reduce my sweet little daughter’s pain.

But when I saw her eyes twinkled with happiness and excitement despite of all the worries and sadness in my heart, I smiled.

There was days that she just didn’t want a x-ray or dressing change or even having food and I began encourage her by mentioning “you will get a bead for this”

She had her beads hanging from her medicine pole and when other kids saw hers they always commented:” wow she has so many” and I was thinking with myself this clearly tells the story what she has been through.

The amount of those colorful flowers could clearly show how much she had pain every time she was going for chemotherapy but at a time how much brave she was.

“Mom, mom… look at this”

With my daughter’s voice calling me, I stop thinking about those past days and look at her little hand holding a stony leaf bead. This leaf is supposed to be the last piece of her bead journey. She put the bead on the string and I feel much more happiness than my daughter. She is excited about finishing her necklace and I am excited about my daughter’s remission.

I hope that every child with cancer will finish their bead journey with a stony leaf.