With our precious fur babies Colter Bay and Moose Wyoming McNees.

“ Ezra loves looking at his beads and talking about all of his moments of strength and courage. He is very proud of his beads and is always excited when it’ s time to add more onto the string.”

— HANNAH, EZRA’ S MOM

WE ALL NEED COURAGE to face challenges that feel overwhelming in our own lives. I was recently reminded of this by a friend whose child will never walk, speak or see. He shared that it isn’ t right to resent someone who needs help simply because their child has an earache. To that parent, the earache is just as terrifying. We cannot compare fears or judge someone else’ s request for courage during hard times.

Over the holidays, my family spent a great deal of time volunteering for Beads of Courage, an amazing non-profit that provides strength and encouragement to 60,000 children facing serious illness. It is a tremendous mission supported by 400 hospitals. Beads of Courage honors each child’ s journey by giving them a bead every time they overcome a challenge or show bravery. Each bead tells a story.

We recently shared the“ Carry a Bead” initiative with the ISPA Board during our meeting in Houston, and it is inspiring to see this initiative embraced by our community. The concept is simple. You take the two beads with you on an adventure. You keep one as a reminder of your experience and send the other back so a child undergoing chemo, preparing for a transplant or struggling with another difficult moment can live vicariously through your journey. Simple, yes— but the impact for a child who needs community and support is priceless.

At ISPA, we talk often about community. Sometimes, we may take it for granted. But I know this feeling of shared purpose is rare. Not all associations embrace one another the way the spa industry does. We are truly blessed that the ISPA handshake is a hug!

One child in the Beads of Courage program shared that brave military officers receive medals they can wear proudly after accomplishing hard things. After earning hundreds of beads during his medical battles, he said he felt like a four-star general who had received his Purple Heart!

That is the power of courage and community. When we show up for one another, when we carry hope( or a bead) on behalf of someone else, we remind ourselves why our work matters. Courage isn’ t about being fearless. It’ s about moving forward anyway— and making sure no one has to do it alone. That is truly community at its core! n

LYNNE MCNEES, ISPA PRESIDENT

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