The idea started with a simple concept.
“Everybody enjoys music,” says Erin Darnell, registered nurse at
Sparrow Children’s Center in Lansing. That includes those who are sick and in pain. In fact, Darnell and her colleagues are working on proving the hypothesis that music can be therapeutic for pediatric patients. Thanks to a donation from
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, Sparrow is now offering young patient access to iPods, iTunes libraries and laptops.
The music therapy program first started from a conversation between Darnell and a colleague who attended a conference last year on alternative ways to deal with discomfort. Massage and music therapy were a part of that discussion. A presentation to the Sparrow Foundation led to the MSUFCU grant that helped get the plan off the ground.
“Currently we have 2 iPod Touches and a laptop,” says Darnell. “We use iTunes gift cards so if there is a kid who comes and says, ‘This my favorite song,’ we have the ability to get it for him.’”
Darnell and her colleagues are currently gathering data to demonstrate the impact of the music on patients. She hopes the program will continue to grow.
“It’s already bigger than what we expected it to be when we had this little idea anyway,” she says. “The more that can come from it, the better.”
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