The Bringelly resident is a glass artist and a ``maker of hope''.

She makes some of the glass beads for the Cure Our Kids Bravery Bead program for children with cancer.

The toughest fight against cancer can be finding a way to carry on.

Patients arriving at Westmead Children's Hospital's cancer ward are given a set of beads spelling their name and modelling a sterling silver bravery ring.

For each treatment they undergo they receive an additional amulet as reward for staying in the fight.

``I make beads for when they have X-rays, CAT scans, dog heads for PET scans, little snake beads when they are going to have to do something wriggly, chicken beads when they're scared and just other fun things like that,'' Mrs Monkivitch said.

``Some of the kids request they be buried with their beads because it's a testimony of their journey.''

She said this is her way of giving back to the community.

Mrs Monkivitch said she got into glass work and beading after her grandfather died and left her his glass marble collection two years ago.

``They start off as a hard rod then the glass goes gooey and sticky like toffee and then runny and soupy before it goes hard again,'' she said.

``So you have to balance the different glass states to however you want to sculpt it.''

She makes a lot of beads for jewellery designers.

Mrs Monkivitch moved to Bringelly with her family last year when her husband was assigned to Orchard Hill army base.

Over the past 12 years they have moved 13 times in Australia, as well as to the US, and find Bringelly one of the best places to live.

``We love it here,'' she said.

``I love the neighbours.

``They can't do enough for you and so I'm always trying to pay back favours.''

Mrs Monkivitch is secretary of the Parents and Citizens Committee at Bringelly Public School.

See some of her creations at www.beadmonki.etsy.com.