Music at The James soothes pain, worry

Music at The James soothes pain, worry

Volunteers perform for patients, family members and hospital staff

People visiting The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University are often in stressful, emotional situations. Whether being treated for cancer themselves or supporting a loved one doing the same, visitors may find themselves seeking respite.

The Heather Pick Music Program at The James offers just that. Pick, a local newscaster who died from breast cancer in 2008, was an avid musician. Friends raised funds in her honor, leading to the program's start in 2015. Since then, the musicians have performed music of all kinds - folk, jazz, classical and more - and listeners can enjoy it without leaving the building.

"Having live music in patient space has become a hot topic," said Peggy Kohler, who manages the performing and visual arts programs at The James. "Why do we not have art, music and poetry in our health care? It's always been a part of the human condition."

Kohler ensures that The James has performers year-round. In some cases, the calendar fills itself. Kohler has regulars, she said.

"It's important to the players," she said. "It means a lot for them to volunteer. Some people come every week. They've been doing it for years because they know how much it means to the patients, and it means that much to them, too."

One returning act is the MEEK Quartet. The foursome began playing at The James in 2016 and paused only during the COVID-19 lockdown. Rob Montgomery, Dan and Pat Epley and Tom Kaelber met at Ohio State's Marion campus years ago. The group plays music from the 1930s through the 1960s, which Kohler said is easily recognizable and perfect for singing along.

"It's nice to give back," Kaelber said. "It's my favorite thing to do. I like it better than our other concerts. Even the staff, they appreciate it. They walk by and you can see smiles."

"It really brightens up our day," Pat Epley said. "You can be in a bad mood and then after you sing, you feel better - just to see people and know that you've brightened their day a little bit."

People are drawn to the music, Kohler said. Staff plan their lunches around the schedule so they can eat and listen. Patients will watch and listen from the second-floor balcony near the radiation unit that overlooks the lobby.

"I watch people all the time," she said. "Some people will go and interact with the performers. Some will sing the words. Some just listen. [People] will dance on their way up the stairs. It's fun to see how it affects everyone."

Kohler recalls seeing a patient who wasn't on the schedule for treatment listening to the music.

"I had a patient who spent two hours sitting here," she said. "I knew he was listening. He went over to the performers and said, 'This helps so much with my pain.' He came in just for the music that day."

Patients who cannot leave their rooms don't miss out, Kohler said. The hospital streams performances in-room.

"Channel two [on The James' televisions] is all live performances from years past. And we're recording as people perform now, too," she said.

The music benefits health care providers as well.

"Everyone who comes in that door - patients, family, visitors - has heard the word 'cancer,'" she said. "They're scared and often don't feel well, so, staff are working with people with high levels of worry all the time. … It's an amazing thing what music does for people in relieving stress, worry and pain for everyone, including staff

In fact, some of the staff members at The James are performers themselves. Despite their long hours, Kohler said doctors, nurses and students volunteer their time to play.

"I have two doctors who are coming to play Taylor Swift," she said. "I have a jazz group. I have classical pianists who are doctors. I have a pre-med student flutist who plays with her dad, a medical student who plays soft indie rock. … They want to return here after a long day and give back [to their patients]."

Dallas Carpenter, a lecturer in the School of Music, has brought his contrabass to The James.

"You'll never find a nicer audience, a more welcoming audience, than at The James," he said. "As a performer, that's the number one thing I enjoy. I know I'll bring music and it's going to help somebody."

Kohler and Carpenter are hoping to build a program between The James and the School of Music, with the goal of expansion to other local hospitals.

"I feel it's important to get real bridges between music schools and hospitals," she said. "I'm passionate about every hospital having this."

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