February 9, 2005 — When a child in the Miami Children’s Hospital Cancer Center undergoes chemotherapy, radiation treatment, surgery or another treatment milestone, he/she is presented with a shiny Bravery Hearts Bead to commemorate the achievement. The beads, which vary in color and style depending on the specific treatment, are added to the child’s Bravery Hearts bracelet or necklace, helping to raise morale and commemorate the child’s unique treatment journey.
Miami Children’s is the first children’s hospital in the Southeast and second in the U.S. to host the Bravery Hearts Program, which was founded two years ago in Toronto. Bravery Hearts sells trendy fashion items to raise funds for participating children’s hospitals across North America.
When a child begins his/her difficult journey with cancer, the child is given a necklace with his/her name on it. The necklaces document and honour the experience of cancer treatment, enabling the children to tell their unique story in a tangible and visual way and become precious keepsakes that are viewed as medals or badges of courage.
What is the Bravery Heart Necklace?
To raise funds for the patients’ Bravery Heart Beads, Bravery Heart Necklaces are sold. The Bravery Heart Necklaces are handmade of Czech glass beads with a beautiful glass heart emblem. Women wear this trendy fashion item to show their support for children receiving cancer treatment at Miami Children’s Hospital. Proceeds from sales are donated to Miami Children’s Hospital. Celebrities who wear their Bravery Heart Necklaces with pride include: Madonna and her daughter Lourdes, Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson. Bravery Heart Necklaces are available at the MCH gift shop, retail stores and online at www.braveryhearts.com.
To interview an MCH patient and Bravery Heart participant, please call Cynthia Gutierrez-White at (305) 668-5514.
About Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Where Your Child Matters Most ™ (2025)
Nicklaus Children's Hospital is South Florida's #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. With more than 850 physicians, including over 500 pediatric subspecialists, the hospital and its network of outpatient centers and offices serve close to 70 percent of children in the Miami market. The only "where your child matters most™,” Nicklaus Children's is home to the region's most advanced Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower, and its centers of excellence Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, the Nicklaus Children’s Orthopedics, Sports Health and Spine Institute, Nicklaus Children’s Brain Institute and Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute. The Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Transfer Center, Nick4Kids, and LifeFlight are responsible for transporting and saving close to 5,000 lives a year. Our 325-bed hospital, which is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, has many specialty programs routinely ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children's is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and since 2003 has been designated an American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.