Thanks to cases like these, we’re reminded of the sheer power of music in our lives.
We all knew music had healing powers, but sometimes we tend to forget how truly uplifting and magical music can be. Those of you who are fans of the Ellen show will remember 16-year-old Cary Bevier, who uploaded a video of herself singing Rachel Platten’s ‘Fight Song’ to cope with her cancer treatments. Thanks to the power of the Ellen show, she had her dream come true when she got to meet and sing with Rachel Platten herself on the show; bringing both the audience and home viewers to tears.
Now, in yet another inspirational case, 8-year-old Brittny Valenzuela, who is fighting a rare type of cancer, underwent her last chemo treatment and celebrated in the best way possible. “It’s a very good thing right now,” said Dr. Santosh Hanmod, “She does not have any detectable disease.”
“She’s done with her inpatient chemo, she’s done with her inpatient chemo, she’s done with her inpatient chemoooo…and we’re so proud of her!” sang the people inside Brittny’s hospital room to the tune of popular song “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow”, at the Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa on Thursday.
With music having a major role in getting Brittny through this tough time, it was only fitting that she would have such a send-off. In nine months of her chemo therapy, the young patient spent most of that time in music therapy.
“For the first three or four sessions, she didn’t look at me,” said Olivia Houck, music Therapist at the Medical Center, who has worked with Brittny since she began chemo treatments, “She covered her head with a blanket, wouldn’t talk to me at all.”
However, the young girl eventually had a change of heart one day. “She saw me in the hallway and said that she wanted to sing to all the doctors and nurses and aides in the unit,” said Houck.
Since that day, Brittny has never stopped singing, even using song as a medium to thank the hospital staff for what they do.
So what’s this inspirational little girl’s favourite song? None other than Justin Bieber’s “Pray”. Well, the pop star may be a lot of things, but if he’s making little kids smile then he’s doing something right.