Jewelry Artist Podcast: Jean Gribbon, The Science of Art

Jean Gribbon founded and directs Beads of Courage, Inc., an innovative arts-in-medicine nonprofit that supports children coping with serious illness, as well as their families and health care providers. Members receive colorful glass beads during the course of their treatment, which provides a connection between the child, clinician, and caring community. In this episode, we talk about the intersection between art and science – and why experiencing art and making things is good for us.  

Jean piloted the Beads of Courage Program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in 2003 to provide emotional support to her pediatric oncology patients. Glass beads are given to children as they experience specific milestones during their treatment – for example, a red bead for every blood transfusion, a white bead for every dose of chemotherapy, a black bead for every needle poke. Gribbon says that each bead carries a metaphorical and tangible weight, which participants can see, feel, and share.

Beads of Courage is an international effort, with 60,000 children and teens in 9 countries and 350 member hospitals. The Tucson headquarters serves as bead pharmacy, retail store, and workshop space. Read more about the flagship program and other programs in Beads of Courage: Arts in Medicine.

Bead mom Lauren says, “I never imagined the amount of joy the Beads of Courage program would bring my son. He knows how brave he is, but having the beads to show him, and that he can show others, makes him so much prouder of himself. He knows what the various colors mean, and he knows each time he has to deal with something medically difficult, like his weekly infusion, he gets to add a bead to his collection. I am so thankful for this program.”

Jean is passionate about the science behind making things and learning something new. It’s built into our humanity to feel good making things. And beads were some of the very first human adornments. To learn more about the effort/reward system she discusses in the episode, Jean recommends reading Dr. Kelly Lambert’s Lifting Depression: A Neuroscientist’s Hands-On Approach to Activating Your Brain’s Healing Power.

Next time you’re in Tucson, stop by the Beads of Courage headquarters in the Metal Arts Village. Pick up a T-shirt or shop their one-of-a-kind jewelry. Online visit BeadsofCourage.org to shop, donate, learn more about this inspiring organization, and find out how you can be part of the caring community.