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. This bump, later diagnosed as histiocytic sarcoma, meant that Madiha’s then 4-year-old daughter had to trade in a playroom for a hospital room. After undergoing countless treatments and procedures, a once fun-loving little girl was no longer interested in toys, and her fear of doctors and hospital visits grew stronger than her desire to play. However, during the Fall of 2022, the magic of an innocent, playful spirit was restored in the most unexpected way.
Restoration Through Rhythm
When Christy, a JoyRx Music Specialist, first entered the hospital room, Madiha’s daughter’s spirits were low. Despite the young girl’s resilience, she was no longer participating in play sessions, and nothing seemed to be able to spark excitement. However, as Christy began to play music, something happened that Madiha describes as a “breakthrough.” When her daughter grabbed the ukulele and strummed along while Christy sang, nurses filled the hospital room in awe, watching as her spark returned and the innocent playfulness and joy in the young girl was restored.
The Heroes Behind the Harmonies
Madiha emphasizes how crucial JoyRx Music Specialists are to her and her daughter’s happiness and hope, and she is overwhelmed with gratitude to Christy for the safe space she has provided her daughter. The challenges young patients sometimes face when it comes to trusting the professionals who enter their hospital rooms can be overwhelming. “Children undergoing chemotherapy deal with a lot of different things,” Madiha says as she describes the medical procedures her daughter endures. “There might even be little microtraumas that aren’t done intentionally, it just comes with the whole ordeal – it just happens.”
Madiha witnesses the difference and impactful relationships children fighting cancer and other serious illnesses have with JoyRx Music Specialists like Christy. “With JoyRx Music you have someone with a face who the child can interact with, even if having a bad day, it’s a friendly face – not tied to any procedure, and that helps rebuild the trust.” When her daughter first worked with Christy, she was asked what she wanted – something that hadn’t happened for her in a long time. This young girl may not have any control over the reality of her diagnosis but the simple act of being asked what music she wants to hear means the world to both Madiha and her daughter. It’s her chance to take control of the keyboard and get lost in the simple power of music.
Permission to Play
A session with a JoyRx Music Specialist not only supports emotional well-being but also provides parents a chance to see their child act like a kid again, without the interference of illness.
Madiha is grateful for how JoyRx Music came into their family’s lives when they needed more than medicine to heal. “It is such therapy for us and my child. I felt like I tried a lot of things but overlooked music. It’s just so great that this is available. I don’t know what we would do if JoyRx Music wasn’t there.”
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