In the fall of 2008 Congregational UCC member Beth Oakes spoke to an adult education class last fall about her explorations of music and well-being with the Maia Quartet. She mentioned the "Suite Sounds" project that evolved from conversations between a cancer patient seeking to improve the setting in a chemotherapy suite and a professional musician who wanted to extend the healing power of music beyond the concert hall. The American Music Therapy Association has found that listening to music reduces nausea for patients receiving chemotherapy and reduces anxiety associated with chemotherapy.
With money from our special Outreach Fund given by an anonymous church member, Congregational UCC provided 1/2 of the funds needed to get the program started at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Our gift will provide iPods, headphones, and downloading of music to be used in the chemotherapy suite at UIHC.
You can hear the story by clicking here:
http://iowapublicradio.org/audio/newsroom/nr090422suitesounds.mp3The Press-Citizen also carried a story about Suite Sounds. You can read it here:
http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090416/NEWS01/904160332/1079We are happy to be partners in this project. This is another way in which the Outreach Fund is being used to nurture body, mind, and spirit in our community.