The Beads of Courage UK charity has expanded to include the oncology and haematology units at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.
It means that children who receive treatment for cancer or blood conditions there will now be able to track their progress with special beads.
The charity, which uses the beads to encourage youngsters through every significant event during their treatment journey, began working with hospitals in Glasgow in 2013 and has now expanded to cover oncology units across the country.
Reagyn Ferguson, aged 13, from Annan has collected 7,648 beads over the course of his treatment for leukaemia in Glasgow.
He has just received his 7,649th bead, when he and his mum, Sharon, were at DGRI as Beads of Courage officially began there.
Another among the first to receive them was Dumfries’ Arran Hyslop, who is going through treatment at present. His were presented by staff nurse Jenna Thompson in DGRI’s paediatric unit.
As well as beads marking rounds of treatment and nights spent in hospital, there are special beads for birthdays and anniversaries, “I Did It!” beads for achieving particularly hard goals, journeys to receive treatment elsewhere, and many other types.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway general manager for women, children and sexual health services Linda Williamson, said: “It’s great that this is now happening.
“For many of these children, treatment can last for months or even years.
“Each night away from home, each session of treatment, each journey for specialist treatment is a challenge for the children and for their families.
“The beads will give them a way to mark and remember each step on the journey, and we’re very happy that patients in Dumfries and Galloway can now take part.”
Beads of Courage UK is a partner of the US charity which started the initiative but they are separate
entities.
