Helen Bonny died Tuesday, May 25, 2010 after a short time in hospice care. As her daughter wrote when Helen entered hospice, “She anticipates the next life with deep faith and a sense of empowerment in being able to move on. And so she expresses joy, fulfillment, as well as peace… She has enjoyed 89th birthday cards and messages of gratitude and love from so many and feels well connected with all of us. We invite only your prayers/meditations for her smooth transition to the place her Spirit yearns to be.”

John Hunter Children’s Hospital had a special visitor recently, with a music therapy session provided by rising country music star Stephanie Brownlee. Brownlee provided some welcome distraction at the New Lambton hospital with the help of music therapist Sean Nolan.

Darebin Community Health recently received a $31,000 Federal Government grant to set up a choir for people with newly diagnosed dementia. The choir will be a 12-week program, which will end with a public performance. A qualified music therapist will work with the choir.

Royal Melbourne Hospital plans to provide allied health services in a purpose-built building from June 2012. The hospital received $10 million to redevelop its speech pathology, music therapy and podiatry facilities.

Art of Music was devised four years ago by singer Jenny Morris. She is one of the leading fundraisers for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity. Nicholas Harding, James Powditch, Reg Mombassa and seven other Aussie artists have donated work, each one drawing on a wellknown Australian or Kiwi song for its theme. The paintings were auctioned at a dinner in Sydney on May 29.

Students in years 1-4 have been taking part in music therapy to improve their social skills and academic results. Musical therapist Rob Devlin goes to the school every Friday and says music is the perfect way to engage the students in a non-threatening environment.

Reports from their teachers indicate ‘it’s very positive for the kids’. They’re focused on tasks in class for longer periods of time and behaviour overall has increased’.

12 May 2010

Mt Druitt-St Marys Standard

Page 7

The story of a young boy diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay, as well as his experience of music therapy was recently reported. His parents decided on a combined approach of speech and occupational therapy, plus something with a bit more enjoyment involved.

Running for 17 years, the Monash Kids Support Group holds several fundraising activities each year to cover some of the costs the Clayton hospital’s budget cannot afford. Of last year’s donation, $5000 was given to the redevelopment of the paediatric waiting room, $3500 for a new pump used by anaesthetists in post-operative care, $1000 for the music therapy department, $200 for play therapy dolls and almost $2000 for two otoscopes, used in audiology.

Cancer survivor Olivia Newton- John has ranked the State Government’s $69 million commitment towards the cancer and wellness centre named in her honour as a momentous event in her life, beaten only by her daughter’s birth and her own marriage. The centre will offer services like meditation, counselling, art and music therapy.

A Maitland choir made up of survivors of domestic abuse and their supporters is looking for a new musical director. The Choir of No More Knocks – an initiative of Maitland refuge Carrie’s Place – has had a constant membership and the women have performed locally and interstate since its inception in 2007.