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The healing power of music

Posted: Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:23 PM by Sam Singal

By Kevin Tibbles, NBC News correspondent

Image: Kevin TibblesThere just aren't words to aptly describe what happens to a person when they encounter the likes of Deforia Lane.

I've seen it happen with school kids, adults, expectant mothers and folks fighting for their lives in a hospital bed.

I can also tell you it happened to me, and to producer Colleen Dudgeon, when we visited Cleveland's University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

Deforia Lane is a teacher, an opera singer...and a cancer survivor. She's made it her goal to bring, through her gift of music, a few rays of hope, comfort and sunshine into the lives of hospital patients. Perhaps she will sing "Lean on Me"... or a moving version of "You'll Never Walk Alone"; anything to lift sagging spirits and dispel fear.

Colleen and I followed Deforia and her little pushcart filled with musical instruments as she 'made the rounds'; and on Nightly News tonight you will have the privilege of meeting this remarkable woman for yourself.

"I can't diagnose it and make it go away", she says. "But what I bring them is what's in here (her heart), and it's music and it's love."

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My husband and I know Deforia and her family personally.  It was my husband who asked her to join the Board of Trustees of Cedarville University several years ago. ( He is now Chancellor of the University. ) She is a gifted, delightful "pattern of good works" to all who know her.

Whenever she speaks in the University chapel, you can hear a "pin drop" as the students listen to her message and song.

Thank you for sharing her with your audience.

Paul and Pat Dixon
Cedarville University

Dr. and Mrs. Paul H. Dixon, Cedarville, OH (Sent Thursday, July 10, 2008 2:25 PM)

Have you read her book, "Music As Medicine?"  It is FABULOUS!  I have loaned it to several folks.  Her gift is not only what's in her heart, it is also her faith in God.  It is God who blesses her with such wonderful talent and creativity, so that her patients and their families are also blessed and healed in the purest sense.

Elizabeth Castria Watson, Salisbury, North Carolina (Sent Thursday, July 10, 2008 7:10 PM)

HI,  Loved the story tonite on the healing power of music, she has such a great voice!   It must have been awesome to see her in action!  The little girl who had written the song for her Mom who is battling cancer made me cry, it was so sweet. Also, loved the story on the genetic link found to be one of the many causes of Autism.  That really hit close to home for me as my oldest son is 12 and has Autism, and he loves music - we had to fight for him to get music therapy as a related service at his school and we won and he is now getting it twice a week and it is fabulous - his face just lights up when he hears the guitar - I would love to see her work with Autistic kids someday too, maybe she sees some of them in the hospital too.  Thanks for a great story!

Dolly, Mechanicsville, VA (Sent Thursday, July 10, 2008 8:22 PM)

As a music therapist it makes me so happy to see that this profession is finally being featured on a national level. I hope that more people will begin to explore the benifits of music therapy not only in a hospital setting but within other settings as well.

Yvonne MT-BC Vail, CO (Sent Thursday, July 10, 2008 10:15 PM)

As a musician of sorts myself, I can assure you that music is the language that all understand. As one of my heros Pat Metheny has said " for some unexplainable reason music is a primitave memory we all have, and can relate to when we hear it. It's like why certain chords just sound right to the average ear, and it make's us feel good " Deforia is on the right track.

Derek H. Muyskens (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 1:49 AM)

I wish you would have mentioned in this brief article that Deforia Lane is a Board Certified Music Therapist.

Lisa Paulson, Savannah, GA (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 9:03 AM)

Music is a gift from God. Music has shown to heal, calm, entertain and bring people together. History has shown the value of Music and even how it has help peace. I'm a baby boomer and we learned our music had insprired musician around the world and it's doing the same thing today. What's sad is how the US has cut music and the arts from our schools. We have seen in the pass 7 years how our country is damaged by these cuts. But other countries have picked up the value. Brian has shown many specials of how young and old people from around the world have gained value in their lives and helped others with music and the arts.  The Beatles invaded America and others followed and the music that changed the world came from Americans who just had God given talent and shared it.

Jackie Rawlings Riverside California (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 10:46 AM)

I echo the comment made by:  Lisa Paulson, that Deforia Lane is a a board-certified music therapist.  I saw the story and thought that it was unfortunate that the words, "music therapist" or "music therapy" were never used.  I do appreciate that this story was done and there could many more opportunities to have stories on music therapy as there are about 5,000 of us in the United States and we were work with all kinds of people, not just those suffering from Cancer.  Please consider more stories about music therapy.  For more information contact the American Music Therapy Assocation.  wwww.musictherapy.org
Thanks again for this story.
Sincerely,
Lisa Jackert, MA, MT-BC

Lisa Jackert, Long Beach, California (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 5:47 PM)

I have followed Ms. Lane's career for many years and was always inspired.  Hurrah for such a positive story about such an uplifting person.  Every news person should have at least one positive note in every broadcast.  We can't live on stories of violence any more.

Judy, Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Friday, July 11, 2008 9:47 PM)

I'd like to agree with both Lisas! Adding that Deforia was a "music therapist" would really not have taken much additional effort. For those of who know her as a pioneer/almost "celebrity" in the field of music therapy, it was shocking to see that part left out. Thanks for covering the power of music, but the power of music therapy has scientific evidence that would make your news story even more significant.

Lorna, Davenport, IA (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 2:03 PM)

As a music therapist I was very concerned and disturbed that this story never mentioned that Deforia Lane is a music therapist let alone that she is a pioneer in the field of music therapy and the Director of Music Therapy at the University Hospitals of Cleveland.  This story also never mentioned the profession of music therapy as a whole.  While the report was a feel good story I do not feel that the whole story of what Deforia does or how she does it was covered.  

Lindsey MT-BC, NMT Bettendorf, IA (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 2:10 PM)

I truly enjoyed the heartfelt feature on Ms. Lane.  As a former Clevelander, I was proud to witness this inspirational salute to Ms. Lane and to Case Medical.  Regarding previous commentary as to her profession in "music therapy" - I can appreciate the content constraints of a 1-2 minute feature.  The breadth of her musicality and work was evident.  I applaud NBC for bringing this fine heroine to light and for a job well done!      

Jan, Key Largo, FL (Sent Monday, July 14, 2008 7:32 PM)

As a board-certified music therapist, I am left wondering why this story did not mention Deforia is a music therapist. The story was a nice story that showed her doing music therapy, yet music therapy was not even mentioned.  Watching the story, if I had not already been familiar with Deforia's ground-breaking work in the field of music therapy, I would have just thought that she was a nice volunteer who sang at a hospital.

Emilia, Moline, IL (Sent Tuesday, July 15, 2008 3:25 PM)

I truly enjoyed the heartfelt feature on Ms. Lane.  As a former Clevelander, I was proud to witness this inspirational salute to Ms. Lane and to Case Medical.  Regarding previous commentary as to her profession in "music therapy" - I can appreciate the content constraints of a 1-2 minute feature.  The breadth of her musicality and work was evident.  I applaud NBC for bringing this fine heroine to light and for a job well done!  (sent 7/14 & 7/15)

Jan D, Key Largo, FL (Sent Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:59 PM)

I truly enjoyed the heartfelt feature on Ms. Lane.  As a former Clevelander, I was proud to witness this inspirational salute to Ms. Lane and to Case Medical.  The breadth of her musicality and work was evident.  I applaud NBC for bringing this fine heroine to light and for a job well done!  

Jan D, Key Largo, FL (Sent Tuesday, July 15, 2008 7:00 PM)



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