Stars such as Elaine Paige, Marc Almond and Suzi Quatro have put their names to The Extraordinary Music Box Appeal, a campaign by The Children’s Trust based in Tadworth in Surrey, to highlight the importance of music to children having rehabilitation following a brain injury.
Last month the charity held a fundraising event at The Savoy Hotel where Marc Almond OBE performed helping to raise money for the charity, and Suzi Quatro has called on the public to donate music and memorabilia to its charity shops. As the charity celebrates European Music Therapy Day (15 November), Ambassador Elaine Paige OBE speaks publicly about her long-standing involvement with the charity, and the vital difference music can make to children following a brain injury.
The Children’s Trust has also released a nationwide poll showing the important role music plays in our lives and believes that music has the power to inspire and motivate children to walk, talk and smile again after a life-changing accident or illness.
The poll found that 40% of Brits believe listening to music has helped them through a difficult personal situation and 41% say music helps them combat stress and anxiety. Brit’s spend just under two hours (1hr 53 mins) a day listening to music on average, with 1 in 2 of us turning to music for comfort. The research also found Britain’s top three feel good songs revealed: ABBA’s golden oldie, ‘Dancing Queen’ (30%), Katrina and the Waves’ ‘Walking on Sunshine’ and Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’.
Charity ambassador Elaine Paige OBE who is supporting the campaign explains:
Music is magical. It can lift a person’s mood and transform any situation. But for children with a brain injury, music can have a life-changing influence. Music can help inspire children whose injury means they have lost the ability to move and communicate, focus, or do anything for themselves. It can motivate them to reconnect with the world and relearn the skills they’ve lost. I hope that everyone will help support this campaign.”
For those living with brain injury, music therapy can help express emotions and there has been scientifically-proven health benefits.*
Jasmine was eight years old when a car accident left her with a life changing brain injury, unable to move, communicate or do anything for herself.
After four months in hospital, Jasmine began intensive rehabilitation at The Children’s Trust. The charity’s physiotherapist worked with her to regain her strength so she could stand and walk again. Jasmine’s father Tony said: “after a few weeks and on a day I will never forget, I asked Jasmine if she could move her arm. To my utter amazement, she did!
“Jasmine wasn’t able to speak when she first arrived at The Children’s Trust, and music therapy sessions were her outlet. She would make sounds with instruments and had control over noises which she didn’t otherwise have. With Speech and Language therapy, she began to talk again. Jasmine wrote a song expressing how she felt using lines from other songs. We performed it together with instruments and it helped her process what had happened whilst having fun.”
Charity ambassador Elaine Paige OBE who is supporting the campaign explains:
Music is magical. It can lift a person’s mood and transform any situation. But for children with a brain injury, music can have a life-changing influence. Music can help inspire children whose injury means they have lost the ability to move and communicate, focus, or do anything for themselves. It can motivate them to reconnect with the world and relearn the skills they’ve lost. I hope that everyone will help support this campaign.”
For those living with brain injury, music therapy can help express emotions and there has been scientifically-proven health benefits.*
Jasmine was eight years old when a car accident left her with a life changing brain injury, unable to move, communicate or do anything for herself.
After four months in hospital, Jasmine began intensive rehabilitation at The Children’s Trust. The charity’s physiotherapist worked with her to regain her strength so she could stand and walk again. Jasmine’s father Tony said: “after a few weeks and on a day I will never forget, I asked Jasmine if she could move her arm. To my utter amazement, she did!
“Jasmine wasn’t able to speak when she first arrived at The Children’s Trust, and music therapy sessions were her outlet. She would make sounds with instruments and had control over noises which she didn’t otherwise have. With Speech and Language therapy, she began to talk again. Jasmine wrote a song expressing how she felt using lines from other songs. We performed it together with instruments and it helped her process what had happened whilst having fun.”
Jasmine returned home and continues to make good progress. “When Jasmine was in a coma, I would sing to her. I felt it helped. I couldn’t have imagined that in a matter of months, she would be singing with me. I’ve seen the worst a parent can imagine, and the hope I had for her to get better was helped by music.”
Music can reconnect a child with the world around them following a brain injury. On 15 November, The Children’s Trust launches The Extraordinary Music Box Appeal to help more children like Jasmine. Visit http://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk
