May 9, 2016 | Blogs and News
Photo by John Franzen; content by Lesley Holmes, Executive Director, Children’s Music Fund
May is National Brain Tumor Awareness Month, and the Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2) organization is encouraging brain cancer research supporters to “Go Gray in May.” We here at Children’s Music Fund (CMF) are showing support by telling the benefits of music therapy for brain cancer treatment.
CMF’s foundation was built on its mission to provide musical instruments to children with chronic conditions and life altering illnesses. Since 2002, CMF has donated thousands of instruments to children in and out of the hospitals all across the country. As CMF’s Executive Director, I have the honor of meeting some amazing people and being able to facilitate the healing power of music.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting a family who truly inspires and brings the concept of “Healing through Music” to a whole new level. Meet Sophia, age 5. Sophia is our most recent recipient of a Yamaha Keyboard. She is a brain cancer survivor and is visually impaired. She loves music and has received music therapy through CMF to help her increase her self-esteem, decrease anxiety and increase communication.
Although Sophia can be guarded, she is interested and curious. Music keeps her involved and attentive. Throughout her music therapy sessions, her therapist notes that Sophia has increased her trust of others, and increased the ability to express her wants and needs.
Her music therapist Cathy O’Neil, MT-BC, states, “I know that the gift of the keyboard will make a tremendous difference in her life! I am also going to encourage her mother to play with it – for fun but also to develop a new coping mechanism.”
Children’s Music Fund partners with some amazing organizations to help kids like Sophia. We were introduced to Sophia through Foundation Think Again, and the gifting of this keyboard was made possible by a grant from Cancer Care Network.
Gifting an instrument gives the entire family the healing through music experience. Music therapy and musical instruments help more than just the patient, everyone experiences the benefits. Join us on our mission to show support and tell the benefits of music therapy by donating or volunteering today! For more information visit www.theCMF.org.