Music blogs

When asked to describe her five-year-old son, Ford, in just one word, Allison’s answer is immediate: curious.

But after receiving a Leukemia diagnosis at age five, Ford struggled to feel connected and engaged. That’s when JoyRx stepped in.

On October 2, JoyRx launched Digital Live services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem in New York City. This new team-up marks our fiftieth healthcare partnership and our seventh in the New York area.  

On September 11, JoyRx hosted the second annual virtual JoyRx Music Network Convening, with over 40 attendees joining from across the country.  

JoyRx is excited to welcome Texas Children’s Hospital – North Austin as our newest hospital location in Austin. On June 26, 2024, we launched live, bedside music for children and families in the hospital.

On Tuesday, June 25, JoyRx Music took to the stage to host a summer concert at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.

For children at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Bilingual Musical Storytime is more than just a chance to listen to music — it’s also an opportunity to learn more about their world.

We’re pleased to announce our newest hospital partner for 2024. Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, joined the JoyRx Music Network on May 7.  

It’s been a fruitful fiscal year for JoyRx Music’s programmatic expansion across the country. From Portland to Austin to New York City to Memphis — we’re ending our 2023-2024 fiscal year at the end of April 2024 with 46 pediatric hospital and healthcare partners, including 10 new sites in our network.

Editor’s note: This special edition blog was written by JoyRx Music Manager Elke Downer.

What a week! JoyRx Director of Partner Engagement Allyn Cripe and I recently attended and presented at the forty-seventh annual APOSW (Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers) conference, which took place in Chicago, Illinois, from April 8 to 10.

When asked to describe five-year-old Randy, Irene’s face always lights up, and her answer is immediate: “He is brave and strong and brilliant.”

As a PMHE survivor, fifteen-year-old Aaron knows the transformative power of music during difficult moments. That’s why he’s dedicated to giving back to kids like him through the gift of song.

JoyRx Music Digital Live has had a wonderful year of bringing joy to children nationwide through virtual concerts, special events, or one-on-one interactions via tablet.

At just thirteen years old, Connor is known for his compassion. He loves bonding with others, discovering new places, and meeting new friends.

“Connor has a heart of gold,” his dad, Steven, often says.

For JoyRx Music Volunteer Elaina, giving back to the community is a meaningful way to bring Joy to others. At just fifteen years old, Elaina is committed to creating what she calls “a positive domino effect” through her love of music, sharing personalized songs she writes for the children we serve.

November is International Arts in Health month – a time dedicated to promoting and celebrating the important impact that the arts contribute toward health and wellness – and JoyRx Music is getting involved by bringing the healing power of music to pediatric patients at UMass Memorial Medical Center – Children’s Medical Center for their second annual Arts in Health concert celebration.

“Olivia is certainly one of the most easygoing humans I have ever known,” Olivia’s mom, Kimmie, said.

It’s an apt way to describe Olivia: she’s a bright and optimistic girl who’s always ready to smile and cheer others on. She loves soccer, dancing, holidays, and her family. She’s always ready to greet others with a big hug.

JoyRx Music On Demand is evolving! We’re excited to announce that our On Demand music offerings are now available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, on any device, through our kid-directed YouTube channel: JoyRx Kids.

On August 8, JoyRx hosted an outdoor concert in the sunny courtyard at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon, where JoyRx musicians, JoyRx-served teens, and guest performers took to the stage to bring Joy to the community.

On Monday, July 31, singer-songwriter Amos Lee joined JoyRx Music Specialists to surprise kids at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon. He treated the kids to a short concert and sing-along. The event left kids singing, dancing, and keeping to the beat with egg shakers.

July 4 is a special day not just because it’s one holiday — but two! It’s time to celebrate: Not only is it Independence Day, but it’s also recognized as National Country Music Day.

What can Joy do? In December 2022, Connor was admitted to Randall Children’s Hospital after experiencing a debilitating brain bleed. Once he’d undergone multiple surgeries, Connor and his family knew weeks of recovery were in front of him.

When Priscilla Islas-McGaughy was five months pregnant with her daughter, Kamari, she learned news that rocked her family’s entire world: Kamari would be born with a rare congenital heart disease, Truncus Arteriosus Type 2, and would require surgery once she was born.

Vice President of Programs at JoyRx, Maura Boyce, recently wrote an article for Healthcare Business Today on the power and importance of music as medicine.

For children who love playing and embarking on adventures, bumps and bruises are common and are often nothing to worry about. A parent can give their child a hug and an ice pack, and most kids are back on their feet ready to play again. However, for the now five-year-old daughter of Madiha, the bump on her finger was life-changing.

When Jaimi first reached out to JoyRx, her request was simple: a song for her four-year-old son, James. Located in Alaska, James wasn’t receiving his treatment at a JoyRx-served healthcare partner facility, but Jaimi heard about JoyRx though an online support group and hoped for a connection through our Digital Live offering.

Is there music played in hospitals? That’s a resounding yes! JoyRx celebrated the St. Patrick’s Day spirit with a concert just for Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin, Texas.   

Every February, JoyRx, the mission delivery of Children’s Cancer Association, partners with local Joy Maker businesses to celebrate Joy all month long. This year, we partnered with KATU News, iHeart Radio, other local businesses, and members of the community to raise critical funds for our JoyRx Music, Mentorship, and Nature programs.

Every February, Unitus supports JoyRx and the kids and families to whom it brings the healing power of Joy. The delight and warmth that JoyRx inspires cannot be measured, but it can be felt. You can feel it when you support the JoyRx mission and through the Joy that you bring to kids like 11-year-old Xavier Waldow.

When Rosa’s son, Lian, was born at 36 weeks following a difficult c-section, she and her husband learned that Lian had Down Syndrome. They learned that he had a heart defect. They learned that he would need many surgeries.   

On Friday, December 16, JoyRx celebrated the holidays with the Oregon Symphony Musicians for a special holiday music event. Comprised of six strings and percussionist volunteers from the Oregon Symphony, the livestream concert delivered festive holiday cheer to families across the country.