Wilkes-Barre City firefighter Tom Heffer shows off the beads that he keeps with him while on duty.
                                 Margaret Roarty | Times Leader

Wilkes-Barre City firefighter Tom Heffer shows off the beads that he keeps with him while on duty.

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader

First responders carry beads in support of children battling chronic illnesses

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<p>The Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department has participated in the Badges and Boots program for nine years. Participating fire fighters will carry their beads for about a month before being sent to children’s hospitals to help support those in treatment for serious chronic illnesses.</p>
                                 <p>Margaret Roarty | Times Leader</p>

The Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department has participated in the Badges and Boots program for nine years. Participating fire fighters will carry their beads for about a month before being sent to children’s hospitals to help support those in treatment for serious chronic illnesses.

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader

<p>Wilkes-Barre City firefighters were joined by the Palermo Foundation on Thursday to kick off the 9th annual Badges and Boots program. From left: Mike Crawford, Brian Drevitch, Deputy Chief Allan Klapat, Derek Zalenski, Matt Stephenson, Captain Rob Stehle, Fire Chief James Delaney, Tom Heffers, and Palermo Foundation President Dave Palermo.</p>
                                 <p>Margaret Roarty | Times Leader</p>

Wilkes-Barre City firefighters were joined by the Palermo Foundation on Thursday to kick off the 9th annual Badges and Boots program. From left: Mike Crawford, Brian Drevitch, Deputy Chief Allan Klapat, Derek Zalenski, Matt Stephenson, Captain Rob Stehle, Fire Chief James Delaney, Tom Heffers, and Palermo Foundation President Dave Palermo.

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader

WILKES-BARRE — For children battling cancer and other serious illnesses treatment can often be isolating and scary, but one local foundation continues to do its part to remind kids they aren’t alone in their fight.

The Palermo Heart to Heart Foundation on Thursday met with first responders at the Wilkes-Barre City fire department to kick of its 9th annual Badges and Boots campaign, where first responders pledge to carry a bead in support of children in treatment for chronic illnesses.

This initiative is part of the worldwide program Beads of Courage, which helps kids cope with life-threatening illnesses by gifting them decorative glass beads, each shaped and colored to signify different stages and milestones of treatment. Children can string them together and keep them as a tangible reminder of their journey and that someone, somewhere, is thinking of them.

Each participating firefighter paid for and received a bead kit, complete with a matching sets of beads for them and their child as well as a story card to write down words of encouragement to whomever might receive their bead in the future.

Firefighters will wear their beads on their turnout coat while on duty and eventually those beads, as well as the handwritten note of encouragement, will be donated to children’s hospitals.

“It’s a way for them to document their journey. They can look back and see what they’ve been through. A typical child in cancer (treatment) will get about 500 beads,” explained Dave Palermo, who serves as president of the foundation.

The Heart to Heart Foundation sponsors Beads of Courage in five Pennsylvania children’s hospitals and has done so for the last 14 years.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Palermo said that he was fortunate enough to meet with children receiving treatment at those hospitals. Some children, he observed, would group the beads by color, while others would string them together chronologically to keep track of their journey.

“I’ve been to viewings where the beads were apart of the service. I’ve been to graduations where they had them. It’s really significant,” Palermo said.

Firefighter Tom Heffer has seen first hand the positive impact that the program has on children.

“One of my beads actually made it to the national program and ended up with a little girl in California and right now, currently, through the beads program, I was able to get in contact with her and we’re like pen pals now,” he said.

The cancer patient first got Heffer’s bead when she was 11 years-old and he estimates that she’s most likely in her late teens now. Heffer regularly keeps in contact with her family and was pleased to report that she’s currently in remission.

“She’s doing really. She’s into dance, music, the works,” Heffer said.

In addition to Wilkes-Barre City, other departments involved in this year’s campaign include: Hazleton City Fire, Pittston City Fire, Pittston Twp. Fire, Jenkins Twp. and the Greater Pittston Ambulance.

Palermo said that foundation is currently looking for more first responders to “answer the call” and partner with the Heart to Heart Foundation for the Badges and Boots program.

More more informatio on how to donate visit https://www.palermo-foundation.org/carry-a-bead/