Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/259111
8 cancer fighters thrive | spring 2014 cf thrive. com is singing in a choir or simply humming along to a favorite tune, listening to a relaxing melody during a treatment ses- sion or strumming a few chords on the guitar, patients often fnd spiritual sol- ace in music. Steve White, LCSW, a Mind-Body Therapist at Cancer Treatment Cen- ters of America® (CTCA) in Goodyear, Arizona, believes that music has a posi- tive impact on many of his patients. For those who are having anxiety about an upcoming treatment or procedure, the hospital's Mind-Body team has created a music CD of soothing melodies to help them relax. The hospital also regularly hosts talented musicians, including a harpist and a violist, who move patients with not only their peaceful sounds but also the positive vibrations that are cre- ated by their live performances. "If you're in a room with live music, your body starts to feel and absorb the vibrations of the music," White explains. "There hasn't been a lot of scientifc study into it, but people have reported that they feel better afterward." A drum circle held three times a month at CTCA is another unique and powerful opportunity for patients and caregivers to share their emotions while connecting with others in a musical environment. Andrew Ecker, founder of Drumming Sounds and facilitator of the drum circle program at CTCA, explains that up to 30 participants come together each week to create a "sacred space" flled with a sense of camaraderie and empowerment. "It is an opportunity to connect with our spirit. The spiritual nature of our existence is very apparent when we drum with intention," Ecker explains. "It's about being present with one's own connection to their spirituality." Ecker says that music is perhaps the oldest mind-body therapy, practiced before yoga or tai chi or qigong. "Long before doing those exercises, people were singing, and soon after they were beating on drums," he says. "When we beat on a drum today, we connect with the rhythm. We connect with our human spirit. That is very powerful." Because there is no technical musical knowledge or expertise required to partici- pate, the drum circle breaks down many of the barriers that might otherwise prevent a patient or caregiver from experiencing the healing power of music. Ecker believes that healing begins with the soothing vibration that comes from the drums. "We all experience nine months of that type of rhythm—connecting to our moth- er's heartbeat," Ecker explains. "The vibra- tion in the drums is the result of joining our heart and mind and spirit in action. When we drum we give ourselves the abil- ity to feel beyond words. We feel connected to something bigger than ourselves, and we feel love." Juanita Acosta of Loco Hills, New Mex- ico, says that participating in the drum circle lifted her spirit during recent visits to CTCA for breast cancer treatment. "It just gives me a sense of relaxation. It releases your mind. Drumming inspires you; it connects your spirit with your body," she says. "When I'm drumming, I feel light in my soul. I don't feel worry. I don't feel pain. I don't feel anxiety. I feel a sense of relief. It's a soothing feeling. It just takes you away." Juanita says the drum circle is a wel- come respite from the rigors of living with cancer and undergoing treatment, such as the radiation therapy she received as part of her comprehensive care at CTCA. Music as Medicine Music has been used as medicine for thousands of years. From the Ancient Greek philosophers who believed that music could heal both the body and the soul to the many generations of Native Americans who have used chanting ritu- als to chase away illness, a more for- mal approach to music therapy emerged during World War II when U.S. Veterans Administration hospitals started using music to help treat soldiers suffering from shell shock. According to the American Cancer Society (cancer.org), there is some evi- dence that, when used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatment, music therapy can help reduce pain and relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vom- iting. It may also relieve stress and pro- vide an overall sense of well-being. Some studies have found that music therapy can lower heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. There are no claims that music therapy can cure cancer or other diseases, but medical experts do believe that it can reduce some symptoms, aid healing, improve physical movement and enrich a patient's quality of life. SPECIAL FEATURE cftSp#23vky.indd 8 2/3/14 11:10 PM