New Beads of Courage® NorthStar Bead acknowledges the bravery of individuals and families navigating hospice care; now accessible to 200+ children’s hospital partners across the nation
National Press Release
Ann Arbor, Michigan, August 11, 2025 – NorthStar Care Community, (NorthStar) a leading nationwide organization dedicated to enhancing access to quality care for serious illnesses and end-of-life support with both hospice and palliative care, is thrilled to announce a heartfelt partnership with Beads of Courage, Inc., a nonprofit that provides innovative arts-in-medicine programs for children, teens, and their families coping with serious illness, and The Center for Arts in Nursing, a partner organization of Beads of Courage (BOC) exists to support and strengthen experiences in human caring through the arts. This collaboration introduces the Beads of Courage® NorthStar Bead, a meaningful symbol honoring individuals entering hospice care, and the Beads of Courage Carry a Bead® initiative featuring the Beads of Courage® NorthStar Bead, inviting public participation to support people facing life’s most challenging moments.
The BOC NorthStar Bead is a unique, handcrafted bead designed to commemorate the courage and resilience of individuals as they transition into hospice care. This special bead will be integrated into the Beads of Courage Flagship program, where each bead represents a milestone, treatment, or moment of courage in a child or teen’s healthcare journey. By integrating the BOC NorthStar Bead into this globally recognized program, NorthStar Care Community and Beads of Courage aim to provide emotional support and a visual and tangible symbol of connection and caring during end-of-life care.
“We are honored to partner with Beads of Courage to bring this powerful experience to those we serve,” said Patrick Miller, RN, MBA, MHSA, FACHE, president and CEO of NorthStar Care Community. “The BOC NorthStar Bead is a symbol of compassion, dignity, and strength, acknowledging the bravery of individuals and families navigating hospice care. This partnership reflects our mission to provide personalized, mission driven care that uplifts and supports our community.”
The Beads of Courage® Carry a Bead initiative offers a meaningful way for individuals, groups, and communities to show support. Participants can carry the BOC NorthStar Bead during significant personal moments—such as a marathon, a hike, or a special event—and return it with a note of encouragement. These beads and messages are then gifted to people in hospice care, offering compassion and connection during difficult times. The Carry a Bead® initiative is open to everyone, fostering a nationwide movement of compassion and solidarity.
“Every bead tells a story of courage, and the BOC NorthStar Bead will honor the profound courage of those in hospice care,” said Jean Gribbon, RN, BSN, PhD, Founder and Chief Mission Officer of Beads of Courage, Inc, and President for the Center of Arts in Nursing. “We are excited to collaborate with NorthStar Care Community® and invite the public to join us through our Carry a Bead® initiative featuring the BOC NorthStar Bead, spreading love and encouragement to those who need it most during hospice care.” This partnership strengthens the mutual dedication of both organizations to support individuals and families coping with serious illnesses. It is a key component of the recently launched Life’s Big Moments campaign, which seeks to promote dialogue and awareness about end-of-life hospice care while raising funds for NorthStar Care Community members.
The BOC NorthStar Bead will be available at NorthStar Care Community’s partner organizations and select Beads of Courage member hospitals, with the Carry a Bead® program accessible at www.beadsofcourage.org and www.northstarcarecommunity.org For more information about the partnership, the NorthStar Bead, or the Carry a Bead® initiative, contact NorthStar at www.northstarcarecommunity.org or Beads of Courage at www.beadsofcourage.org
Corporations, organizations, or individuals interested in supporting the initiative can join the Life’s Big Moments campaign. For details or to donate, visit www.northstarcarecommunity.org/news/lifes-big-moments or call 1-877-311-7578.
About NorthStar Care Community
NorthStar Care Community (NSCC), founded by Arbor Hospice, Centrica Care Navigators, and Hospice of Michigan, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing expert, compassionate hospice and palliative care to patients of all ages, regardless of diagnosis, care complexity, residence, or financial situation. With 45 years of expertise, NSCC enhances access to care and supports over 9,800 patients annually in Michigan, leveraging collective knowledge and best practices to guide patients and families through serious illness.
NorthStar Solutions supports nearly 50 partners in17 states, helping hospice and home healthcare organizations increase efficiencies, improve patient care and help lower the cost of operations through its 24/7 triage services (NorthStar Triage), analytics, custom applications and technical services (NorthStar Technology) and comprehensive gap analysis, best practices, fundraising and other management services (NorthStar Consulting). NorthStar Solutions Group also manages the National Partnership for Hospice Innovations (NPHI) nationwide hotline which refers patients and families to one of more than 100 NPHI not-for-profit providers. Collectively, NorthStar Solutions Group touches the lives of more than 10,000 patients and families every day.
For more information about NorthStar Care Community, including NorthStar Solutions Group, visit www.northstarcarecommunity.org
About Beads of Courage
The mission of Beads of Courage, Inc., a non-profit organization located in Tucson, AZ, is to provide innovative arts-in-medicine programs for children and teens coping with serious illness, their families and the clinicians who care for them. The Flagship Beads of Courage® program is present in over 300 hospitals worldwide and helps children and teens coping with serious illness RECORD, TELL, and OWN their stories of COURAGE through the art form of beads. We believe in creating a context for caring transactions to transpire through our community and encouragement programs. Since 2005, Beads of Courage, Inc. has established collaborative partnerships in caring with hundreds of hospitals nationally and internationally and worked with several community organizations to make healing happen through the use of beads as a historical art form. Together, we help strengthen resilience, support coping, improve the quality of life and keep the human spirit strong for children and teens coping with cancer and other serious illnesses, their families and the clinicians who care for them. Learn more: www.beadsofcourage.org
The Center for Arts in Nursing (CAN) is a partner organization of Beads of Courage, Inc. and exists to support and strengthen experiences in human caring through the arts. Our mission is to invest in and care for individuals through the stages of life’s journey. From life’s first breath to the last and every breath in between, CAN strives to provide a place of hope, healing and home for all to learn, grow and live. Learn more: https://artsinnursing.org
/PRNewswire/ — NorthStar Care Community, (NorthStar) a leading nationwide organization dedicated to enhancing access to quality care for serious illnesses and…
