Music Therapy in Oncology

Monday, Jan 13, 2014

Written by Andrew Rossetti, MMT, MT-BC

Music Heals is pleased to welcome a contribution by music therapist, Andrew Rossetti. He is currently on staff at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and is chair for an upcoming oncology conference being hosted by the Louis Armstrong Center. (If this name sounds familiar, we have already had a post written by, John Mondanaro, the clinical director of the Louis & Lucille Armstrong Music Therapy Program at Beth Israel Medical Center.) For more information about the conference, see attached poster and brochure. Music therapy has been shown to work effectively in oncology and if you want to know a little more about how or why, keep reading! Andrew, we appreciate the work that you do in sharing your knowledge and in bringing music therapy to those who are being affected by cancer. Thank you!

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Patients and families that face cancer are often exposed to life-altering challenges. Issues associated with cancer

diagnosis and treatment may include pain, physical changes, treatment side-effects and end-of life considerations

among others. In addition, a diagnosis of cancer can be particularly stressful and anxiety associated with

vulnerabiliy, isolation, depression, feelings of grief, poor body image, pervade with fears related to impending

death, and uncertainty about the future.

The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine provides support services to individuals, family members and

staff on the inpatient units of Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, and BI Brooklyn, as

well as in outpatient clinics designated for Radiation and Chemotherapy. Music therapy can support the physical,

psychological, spiritual, and psychosocial needs of patients and families who are dealing with cancer during

outpatient treatment. Music therapy may alleviate pain, ease treatment side-effects, support immune system

functioning, enhance coping and reduce physical and emotional stress. Music therapists with advanced training in

music psychotherapy techniques provide individual bedside sessions that are tailored to each patient’s need and

preferences.

The Louis Armstrong Center will be hosting a 2-day international symposium, entitled Converging Disciplines

at the Crossroads of Cancer Care on Monday January 27th and Tuesday January 28th at Beth Israel Medical

Center’s Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, located at 10 Union Square East in Manhattan. Attached is the program.

Electronic registration is available currently: http://www.chpnet.org/CME/ Please contact Marie Grippo at 212-

420-2704 with questions-or to register by phone. We hope to see you there!

To see the brochure for this event, please follow the link below:

https://cmetracker.net/STLUKESCME/Files/Brochures/60281.pdf

Written by Andrew Rossetti, MMT, MT-BC

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