The healing power of music does not just lift the patient's spirits during the song itself, but the residual happiness lasts long after the musicians have left the room. I've had families flag us down an hour afterwards to tell us how their loved one ate for the first time all day, or laughed, or sat up. I don't know if it's the music itself or the fact that someone cares enough to visit them, probably both. This is a wonderful organization, and it should be in every hospital!
After being widowed young, I struggled to find purpose and meaning. It took a couple of years to get used to my new life and feel ready to give back. I found Musicians On Call... and like many, it begins thinking YOU will doing the giving, only to realize how much one gets in return. We bring music, bedside, to patients in hospitals. My favorite is the VA... we are on the long term care unit. Some get visitors, some don't. Each and every are so grateful for our visits. An older vet asked me if we work for the VA. I replied, no we volunteer. He said..'you want to be here?" Yes, I told him, it is one of the things in my week that I look forward to. I had a charmed life for 25 years and at 50, that all changed. I now see my role as to make the life of others better, I think I took a lot from this world for 50 years, now I look to give back. I just initiated a fundraiser for Musicians On Call (MOC), we are cutting a cd (locally) of the musicians that perform. We hope to sell it and not only raise money but awareness of our program so it can grow. One of our hashtags is #musicheals. I am sure they intended it to mean for the recipients of our volunteering, but for me, providing music heals me as my late husband was a concert promoter for a hobby.
Review from #MyGivingStory