The Healing Power Of Music

Let’s admit we all love music, and agree it helps us all in so many different ways.  I want to take a moment to talk about the healing power of music. I imagine for a lot of you that phrase strikes a real chord, from experiences you’ve had personally.  Where music has transformed a difficult day

or moment, or got you through a challenging time. I was recently introduced to a nonprofit that’s been leading the country in bringing that healing power directly to the bedsides of hospital patients. Their name is Musicians On Call, and they’ve reached over 1,000,000 patients, family members, and caregivers in 25 years of operating.  And, now, I’m very excited to share that they’ve finally landed in Portland.

Musicians On Call (MOC) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that is expanding its programs that bring live bedside music to patients, their caregivers, and loved ones on a weekly basis.  With your help, MOC can start its program at the Portland VA Medical Center this year!  The organization is looking across Portland to identify big-hearted musicians and music lovers to participate in this cause. MOC Volunteers will receive comprehensive training and personal guidance from program staff to prepare them for the nuances of volunteering in the hospital. In turn, volunteers are asked to commit to participating in at least one program a month, in
addition to meeting the basic requirements of local hospitals’ volunteer policies.

Just a handful of enthusiastic Portlanders, with a love of sharing music, can make a difference in helping kick-start these programs very soon! Please join me in helping spread this opportunity to bring Portland’s wealth of music into hospitals
to share light and the healing power of music with those who need it most.  To learn more about Musicians On Call or express your interest in these one-of-a-kind opportunities
in Portland, please visit musiciansoncall.org/volunteer