Seriously ill young patients at Epsom Hospital are using special beads to help keep track of their treatment and to share stories of their recovery.

Young patients are being given the beads to mark particular milestones – a specific act of courage or stage in their treatment, for example – as well as for each day of treatment.

Every child has their name spelled out in beads and each child can organise their collection however they like in order to build a story that is personal to them.

The programme, called Beads of Courage, was introduced in the UK by charity Be Child Cancer Aware this year, after it was developed in the USA eight years ago.

Jo Dodge, Play Specialist at Epsom Hospital, explained: “As with anyone undergoing treatment for cancer or serious illness, the children we look after have a lot to contend with.

“Beads of Courage is a way of helping them, and others, to celebrate their achievements and recognise every milestone they reach.

Six year-old Rhea Oke was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which affects the lymphocytes, the white blood cells mostly used to fight viral infections), in December 2015.

Mum Carley Oke said: “Rhea is six months into her treatment and has been tracking her progress with her Beads of Courage.

“The beads help us give extra encouragement to Rhea when she is going through different treatments or procedures, and it means she gets a little reward every time she achieves something.”

For more information, visit www.bechildcanceraware.org/beads-of-courage/