By day, Beaudesert Nurse Karen Wykamp cares for her patients, but in her spare time she’s busy leading her own bee army.
A few years ago, Karen put on her Queen Bee crown and started the Bravery Bee Project, creating bright, cuddly crochet bees for patients who need a little extra courage during their hospital visit.
Karen knows first-hand how the buzz in the Emergency Department can be overwhelming for some patients and hoped the tiny, crocheted bees would bring a sense of calm. She discovered a simple crochet pattern for colourful bees and got busy buzzing away with her hook.
Over the past two years, Karen has spread her wings and reached out to the community, including local craft groups, the Beaudesert CWA ladies, and crafters from across Australia through social media. The hive has been hard at work, with more than 300 bees flying in from all over the country.
“Each bee goes through my quality control check before I package it with a little tag that says ‘Thank you for Bee-ing Brave’,” Karen said. “They are then left in Emergency for staff to hand out.”
The Bravery Bees have also made their way to Redland Hospital's Emergency Department, Lamb Ward, local QAS crews, pathology teams, and even Blackwater Hospital, although most still call Beaudesert their home-sweet honeycomb.
Karen is always on the lookout for new bee makers and has a simple pattern ready for anyone who would like to join the Bee Army.
“If you have the time and the yarn, we’d love you to join our swarm,” she said.