[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”40px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
![\"Rosie](\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/advancement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Rosie-with-17y-patient-with-leukemia-225x300.jpg\")
Rosie Obi with a 17-year-old patient<\/p><\/div>\n
Rosemary \u201cRosie\u201d Obi, music therapist and internship director for Golisano\u2019s music therapy program<\/a>, joined the hospital 20 years ago. It was her first job after graduating from the University of Dayton\u2019s music therapy program.<\/p>\n Elaine Kong joined Obi five years ago and focuses on bringing music therapy to the intensive care units for neonatal and pediatric patients, while Obi takes care of patients on the general care units. Together, they provide music therapy for pediatric patients with cancer, blood disorders, heart disease, eating disorders, prematurity, and more.<\/p>\n The program relies and thrives on donor support. Although insurance doesn’t cover the cost of music therapy in the hospital, the Department of Pediatrics is committed to providing it to families at no cost. \u201cBringing comfort to children and families through song and music-making is vital to the health and well-being of our young patients,\u201d says Obi. \u201cDonor generosity is critical\u2014we are hoping that more people come on board to support it.\u201d<\/p>\n For Obi and Kong, each day is different and includes working with patients, supervising student interns, attending interdisciplinary team rounds, writing notes, and more. Current funding supports a 40-hour week for Obi and a 25-hour week for Kong. Here\u2019s a snapshot of just one of their days.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#0f0f0f”][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Obi arrives at her Golisano Children’s Hospital office. She checks in with Kong and the two music therapy interns, then reviews patient charts and sees that, so far, the hospital team\u2014doctors, nurses, and child life specialists\u2013have asked for music therapy services for six new patients in addition to the 50 patients already on their combined caseload.<\/p>\n Obi first sees Sophie*, a 13-year old girl who is finishing up bone cancer treatment\u2013her last chemotherapy session. \u201cWhen someone reaches a milestone like this, we usually meet them in the hospital lobby where they ring a bell and staff sings them a song about completing treatment,\u201d Obi says. \u201cBut, because of COVID-19, we can\u2019t do that.\u201d Instead, Sophie\u2019s care team visits her room before she gets discharged. Obi plays guitar and leads them in song. Sophie beams with happiness and pride\u2014so do her parents.<\/p>\n In the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Kong sees Jack*, a three-month-old who suffers from severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia and will enter the foster care system soon. \u201cJack has to go through some very hard medical procedures\u2014and he has to do it mostly alone,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m lucky that I get to be part of his treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n Because of COVID-19, there are no volunteers and Jack is only seen\u2014and held\u2014by his care team. While the nurses care for Jack, Kong hums, plays the guitar, and sings to him. Although he sleeps through most of this time, his eyes open up here and there and he smiles a few times\u2014a good sign.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Obi picks up her guitar and instrument tote, which is full of drums, shakers, tambourines, and more, and is on her way to see Sam*, a three-year-old who\u2019s just been diagnosed with appendicitis. In the elevator, someone asks her if she is about to give a concert.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes that happens,\u201d Obi says. \u201cThat kind of well-meaning comment actually gives us a chance to clear up a misunderstanding of our role and let people know that we are not entertainers\u2014we are highly trained board-certified music therapists who are part of our patients\u2019 treatment team. We use live music and a variety of techniques to soothe patients, help them develop coping skills, give them a means of expression, and build problem solving skills.\u201d Kong adds that, similar to occupational and physical therapists, music therapists are allied professionals who play a key role within a patient\u2019s care team.<\/p>\n Obi then makes her way to Sam. Wrapped in his mother\u2019s arms, he is very shy and won\u2019t look at Obi. That dynamic soon changes though. After a few minutes of Obi playing some gentle music on her guitar, Sam unfolds from his mother. He sits up, starts talking, smiles, and sings with Obi. By the end of the session, Sam doesn\u2019t want her to leave.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622745174365{padding-top: 25px !important;}”]<\/p>\n Obi returns to her office to revisit patient charts, eat lunch, and check the status of the interns.\u00a0To date, the program has trained 32 practicum students and 37 interns from Nazareth College\u2019s music therapy program, from which Obi received her master\u2019s in creative arts therapy, with a specialization in music therapy, and Kong obtained her bachelor\u2019s in music therapy. She then went on to get her master\u2019s in music therapy from Florida State University before returning to Rochester to work.<\/p>\n Kong is now in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with Derek*, who was born at 27 weeks gestation and is now five weeks old. He started music therapy four weeks ago and is now ready for a new intervention to help him learn how to tolerate different types of stimulation. Kong guides his mother through the intervention and teaches her the technique, which includes humming or singing while massaging and rocking Derek. \u201cHe was opening his eyes and smiling throughout the session, while also bonding with his mother,\u201d Kong says. \u201cHis mother was happy he received therapy that was so developmentally appropriate for him.\u201d<\/p>\n As part of Golisano\u2019s adolescent medicine team for eating disorders<\/a>, Obi visits Eliza*, a 16-year-old with anorexia nervosa who was admitted for medical stabilization. Obi tells her about music therapy. To help with Eliza\u2019s anxiety, Obi leads her through an art activity based on music listening. She also guides her through some progressive muscle relaxation and breathing techniques combined with music. Obi often uses mindfulness and music with older youth who are in a lot of mental or emotional pain.<\/p>\n Obi also suggests that Eliza create a soundtrack for her life. She asks Eliza, \u201cif your life were a movie, which songs would you include?\u201d Obi notes that it\u2019s a starting point for them to make a connection and for Eliza to find a new way to express herself and what\u2019s meaningful to her.<\/p>\n Kong is called to be present while one of her patients receives an echocardiogram. The test is almost done, but the toddler starts to panic. Luckily, Kong arrived before the care team was about to medicate her. \u201cI came in and started singing one of her favorite songs,\u201d she says. \u201cIt calmed her down and she didn\u2019t need that extra medication after all\u2014a successful musical intervention.\u201d She returns to her office afterward to write chart notes and document each patient\u2019s progress. Kong reflects at the end of the day, \u201cI love my job\u2013I get to do what I love and bring the power of music to very young people who are in very difficult situations.\u201d<\/p>\n Obi sees a medically complex patient, as she, Kong, and the interns often do. These are young people with multiple diagnoses. In this case, Marcos*, an 8-year old child with cerebral palsy and pneumonia, has just been admitted. Obi spends time with him to see how he responds to music. She brings along her guitar and instrument tote to see what he likes. She helps him play the cabasa, a small beaded instrument that provides him some tactile stimulation while she sings familiar and improvised songs. She will continue to work with the child life specialist, along with his occupational and physical therapist, to develop a plan to improve his fine motor skills and meet his developmental needs.<\/p>\n Obi sees her final patient of the day. Maya is a 12-year-old with end stage renal disease who is admitted for a painful urinary tract infection. Obi has known Maya since her first admission for kidney disease 10 years ago. Today, Maya shares her disappointment that she is missing out on a school event. Her parents leave the room and give their daughter some privacy.<\/p>\n Maya then writes a song about how she is feeling. Obi provides suggestions, validates her thoughts and feelings, and helps Maya decide how the song should sound. She also works with her to develop a guitar accompaniment. Maya listens to her finished song with pride and sings along quietly. When her parents return to the room 45 minutes later, Maya shares the recording with them. Within the lyrics, Maya expresses frustration followed by thoughts of hope, strength, and resilience, which her parents recognize and remind her of often. The family has tears in their eyes as they discuss sharing the song for others to hear.<\/p>\n Obi returns to her office to write chart notes and review intern notes. It\u2019s not unusual for her to stay past 6 p.m. to make sure she sees as many patients as possible. \u201cNo day is the same,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s always interesting and I am always learning. And, most importantly, it\u2019s such a gift to bring music into our patients\u2019 and their families\u2019 lives and do it in a therapeutic way.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#000000″][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622653741597{padding-top: 25px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;padding-left: 25px !important;background-color: #15234a !important;}”]<\/p>\n Music therapy<\/a> uses music to promote healing and enhance quality of life. It complements medical treatments and helps patients cope mentally and physically with their diagnosis. Music therapy may involve listening to music, making music, singing, and discussing music, along with guided imagery with music. It helps ease stress, fear, and anxiety; improves mood; lowers heart rate; alleviates depression; aids with sleep; and provides relaxation. It gives young patients so much of what they need to deal with their circumstances.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622726920081{padding-top: 25px !important;padding-right: 25px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;padding-left: 25px !important;background-color: #15234a !important;}”]<\/p>\n Jorie Pucillo with Rosie Obi and a nurse<\/p><\/div>\n Patients and families like the Pucillos are grateful for music therapy. In the spring of 2020, Jorie Pucillo, a three-year-old with Down Syndrome, was diagnosed with leukemia. Unfortunately, Jorie was no stranger to the hospital. When she was six months old, she endured open heart surgery. For her cancer diagnosis, she went through six rounds of chemotherapy and was in the hospital for six months. During each round of chemo, she had music therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRosie Obi was awesome\u2014she came in, sang, played guitar, and even showed Jorie how to play the ukulele,\u201d says Jorie\u2019s father, Jerry, a musician who also participated in the music therapy sessions. \u201cEvery time Rosie came into the room, Jorie\u2019s mood changed. She was able to play and have a sense of normalcy even when she was in the hospital for so long.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1630005052168{padding-top: 25px !important;padding-right: 25px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;padding-left: 25px !important;background-color: #15234a !important;}”]<\/p>\n Rachel Wilson (center, holding check), Elaine Kong (in green), Rosie Obi (behind Kong), Morgan Kowalski (in orange), Sandy Strong, and other supporters at the Battle of the Beaks.<\/p><\/div>\n Rachel Wilson was born with a diaphragmatic hernia, a rare condition that put her the NICU for four months after birth. Today, although she only has 60 percent lung capacity, she is thriving. Wilson just graduated from Nazareth College where she was a nursing student and a lacrosse player. Soon, she will start a nursing job in the NICU at Golisano.<\/span><\/p>\n While at Nazareth, Wilson was actively involved in the school\u2019s annual \u201cBattle of the Beaks\u201d fundraiser. Every year (except during the pandemic), when Nazareth\u2019s basketball team plays the St. John Fisher\u2019s Cardinals, ticket sales, concessions, and raffles all benefit Golisano\u2019s music therapy program. To date, the annual fundraiser has raised about nearly $150,000 for music therapy. It\u2019s a community effort that involves Nazareth\u2019s athletes, music therapy students, and others like Wilson who have a personal connection to the NICU.<\/span><\/p>\n The annual event also involves faculty and staff. Becky Fahy, a psychology professor at Nazareth, helps organize the event. Her now 16-year-old daughter was a Golisano NICU baby.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBeing involved is a way for my family and me to give back and support Golisano and this great program,\u201d says Fahy, noting that her husband, Mike, a former Nazareth staff member who now works at the URochester, and their daughter help out, too. \u201cThe hospital has been important to our family for a long time, and we love getting others involved in supporting it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She adds, \u201cThe impact of having our students get so involved is exponential. They get to see the difference they can have through service and our collective efforts also benefit the music therapy program.”<\/span><\/p>\n Morgan Kowalski also knows the difference music therapy can make. Her son, Tommy, was born at 25 weeks, weighing just 1lb, 11oz. He graduated from the NICU after 115 days on October 3, 2018. Kowalski met with Kong weekly once her son reached 32 weeks gestation, and their time with her quickly became the highlight of their time in the hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDuring our first session with Elaine, I cried,\u201d Kowalski says. \u201cHere I was, holding my baby like a normal mom, while this woman with the voice of a Disney princess guided me through massage and song. It was such a beautiful moment that I couldn\u2019t hold back my tears of joy, and I am choked up as I think of it now.\u201d Watch this video<\/a> to learn more.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”35px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”736212,735952,735362,735382,736642″ img_size=”full” show_image_title=”show_image_title” title_alignment=”left”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”25px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622726141722{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 25px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;padding-left: 25px !important;background-color: #fac600 !important;}”]Support music therapy at Golisano Children’s Hospital through our crowdfunding campaign<\/a>\u2014every dollar goes toward instrument purchases, equipment upgrades, program development and expansion, and more. Your generous support for music therapy aligns with the University\u2019s yearlong Together for Rochester<\/a> campaign, too, which is designed to make life better for our broad community.<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Learn more about Golisano’s music therapy program here<\/a> and watch this powerful video<\/a>. For even more about the program and the generosity that established it, read “The Right Notes”<\/a> in the 2020 Volume 1 edition of Strong Kids, page 3.<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=”no” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]*names changed to protect privacy<\/em><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text fnt_family=”Roboto Condensed” fnt_size=”12″ css=”.vc_custom_1621886956931{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-top-color: #c4c4c4 !important;border-top-style: solid !important;}”]<\/p>\n9:30 a.m.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
10:30 a.m.<\/h4>\n
11 a.m.<\/h4>\n
12 p.m.<\/h4>\n
1 p.m.<\/h4>\n
1:30 p.m.<\/h4>\n
2:15 p.m.<\/h4>\n
3:30 p.m.<\/h4>\n
4:45 p.m.<\/h4>\n
5:30 p.m.<\/h4>\n
What is music therapy?<\/span><\/h4>\n
![\"Jorie](\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/advancement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Jorie-Pucillo-with-Obi-300x225.jpeg\" "\\"Obi\\"")
Thank you, music therapy<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"Rachel](\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/advancement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Rachel-Wilson-center-holding-check-at-the-Battle-of-the-Beaks-300x278.jpg\")
Going full circle for music therapy<\/span><\/h4>\n