In previous reviews published by The Cochrane Library, a UK-based online resource for health care decision-making, it has been suggested that music therapy may have beneficial effects on people with cancer.
Specifically, music interventions have been found to ease anxiety, pain, fatigue, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure in thousands of participants covered by several studies.
Given that no negative side effects are associated with listening to music, it is certainly one healing modality worth trying. It is, in fact, one of the latest healing activities adopted by the Carewell Community Foundation, a non-government organization that provides psycho-social programs and services to enhance the quality of life and healing journey of people affected by cancer.
Since its incorporation in 2005, the foundation has been offering various cancer-healing support programs, including medical and psychological counselling and wellness talks. Meditative activities such as centering prayer, yoga, qigong, and gong sound therapy address stress management. Theta and millennium healing target emotional concerns, while acupuncture is intended to aid in detoxification. Arts and crafts, as well as dance classes are also held regularly.
Carewell’s services, resources, and activities are offered free of charge to its members.
Recently, the organization has partnered with Alexa Kahn, a young music enthusiast who, while pursuing her passion, has found a way to channel her talents into making people happy and empowered. She started AKapella, where she uses her singing voice to inspire, uplift, and heal people with physical and emotional pains.
“I believe music has a very powerful healing ability. I first experienced its power when I was very young. When my grandfather was dying of cancer, it came to a point where he was in so much pain that he could barely open his eyes or talk,” shares Kahn.
The benefits of music made itself felt again later when her godmother, who was dying of cancer, asked her to sing “The Prayer” because she said it made her feel unafraid to die.
These experiences with two of her loved ones led her to form AKapella. To date, she has volunteered to share her gift of music with such organizations as the Jeremiah Foundation, Kythe Foundation, and the Carewell Community Foundation.
In her sing-along sessions with Carewell members, she and other AKapella volunteers serenade their audience with songs the members themselves choose.
Kahn and her AKapella team are set to hold a music session for Carewell members on Dec. 14 at the Carewell office in Makati.
