Taj's tale of courage told in beads
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How many beads on my necklace?
Nine-year-old Kaikoura boy Taj Smith ran a competition to see if people could guess how many Beads of Courage he had accrued throughout his treatment for a rare form of bone cancer during a fundraising event held in Kaikoura on Sunday.
Twenty eight people guessed; the closest was only about 20 out. Not bad when you see how many beads Taj has collected a staggering 822.
Each bead represents a different stage of his treatment, from spending a night in hospital to having tests and other treatments, such as X-rays and scans to blood transfusions.
The last bead Taj received is the purple heart, which symbolises reaching the end of his treatment for a rare form of bone cancer.
Kaikoura turned out to raise more than $5500 for the Manaaki Taj Smith Fund, which helps Taj's family meet costs such as travelling to Christchurch for his treatment.
A fun fundraiser held on Beach Rd on Sunday featured car washes, car-boot sales, an art auction, pony rides and other events.
Organiser Liz Beazley said she was thrilled with the amount raised.
Taj's mum Erin Smith said the day was amazing.
"I would like to thank Liz and Diane and everyone else who helped make it happen," she said. "Thank you to everyone who donated prizes and art for the auction, and of course to everyone who came along and supported it."
The Beads of Courage programme is designed to honour the challenging journey children take while receiving care for cancer or blood conditions.
Beads of Courage members first receive a string with beads that spell out their first name.
Then, colourful beads that visually represent the many challenges they have overcome along the treatment journey are added to the string to tell their unique story of courage.
- The Marlborough Express
