health & wellness

Healing Melodies

WE pleK

Karmanos Cancer Center's music therapy program
comforts patients and their families.

UP

AT

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Save Time Lot close to
the terminals with easy
access from 1-94 & 1-275.

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Save Money Low daily
rates, continuous free
shuttle service and luggage
handling.

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Save Worry Open 24/7
with lighted, fenced and
continuous patrolled lot.
Battery booster is available.

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Daily Rate: $9.00*
Hourly Rate: $2.50*

*Taxes Included
Expires 12-31-2015.
One coupon per visit.
Not Good with any other discounts.
Rates Subject to Change.

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METRO
AIRPORT

Exit 198 from 1-94

Exit 20 from 1-275

Masters

.888.844. PW5

7782 MaiftEm12:20 Romulus,

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1980980 I

56

March 26 • 2015

Marvin Miller and music therapist Sayako Head

Elizabeth A. Katz
Special to the Jewish News

W

hen Marvin Miller of
Farmington lost his wife,
Carole, he described it like
the loss of a limb.
"It's devastating" he said, "You can't
find words. It feels like being lost, aban-
doned — a hole left in me"
Carole Miller, 72, lost her battle
with lung cancer on Dec. 11, 2014.
The Millers were married for 50 years.
Marvin says that Carole was tough, sur-
viving breast cancer 17 years ago and
renal cancer seven years ago. Then she
had to face lung cancer.
Miller has drawn solace from his
sons: his eldest, David, a physician
at Massachusetts General Hospital in
Boston, and his younger son, Joseph. He
also has been blessed with twin grand-
sons.
Another major source of his comfort
has come from Sayako Head, a music
therapist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos
Cancer Center. Marvin has taken part in
Karmanos' music therapy program for
the past four months.
Karmanos competed for and
won funding from the Livestrong
Community Impact Project for the
Jeffrey Frank Wacks Music Therapy
Program. The program was put in
place at Karmanos' Weisberg Cancer
Treatment Center in Farmington Hills
and at the midtown Detroit location
last summer. So far, the program has
assisted approximately 150 patients and
their loved ones at the two sites.

Sayako is trained as a classical pianist,
has a bachelor's degree in music therapy
from Michigan State University and is a
certified music therapist. She facilitates
the music therapy program for cancer
patients and their families at Karmanos'
Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center and
for bone marrow transplant patients in
Detroit.
Sessions usually include counseling,
and she then accompanies people in
song. She sometimes helps them analyze
song lyrics as a way to open a discus-
sion about their emotions. Sayako also
teaches patients how to relax through
guided imagery.
"I love listening to people's stories"
Sayako said. "Everyone has a different
story. I enjoy being the ears for them.
Music therapy is not just about music. If
someone just wants to talk, I won't bring
out music. I'm here to listen:'
Sayako describes her interactions with
a cancer patient at Karmanos who used
music therapy to explore her emotions
about having cancer.
"By using a song, she was able to talk
about the song" Sayako said. "She was
then able to open up and talk about
herself"
Miller said that Sayako is well-suited
to administer the music therapy pro-
gram, noting her gentle style. He has a
particular affinity for Broadway tunes,
and by the time he is through with a
session, his spirits are lifted.
"Sayako is like a medication" he said.
"You take it when needed. Music is a
language by itself. It touches another
part of your brain"

Sayako confirmed this, stating that
music triggers a person's limbic system,
which is a complex system of nerves
and networks in the brain involving sev-
eral areas concerned with instinct and
mood. It also controls basic emotions
like fear, pleasure and anger and various
biological drives like hunger.
"Music therapy hasn't just started" she
said. "People have used music as a form
of expression or prayer for thousands of
years. It's so important to provide com-
fort through music"
The Jeffrey Frank Wacks Music
Therapy Program will last until June
at Karmanos, at which time the grant
expires. Kathleen Hardy, oncology social
worker at Karmanos, hopes to extend
the program beyond June, given its suc-
cess.
"Our hope is
that we will receive
funding from other
people" she said.
"We did program
evaluations and they
were excellent. Most
people who went
through the program
Kathleen Hardy
felt they were more
relaxed, had less pain
and less anxiety.
"We know stress and anxiety can
exacerbate pain," she added. "Music can
be helpful in reducing stress. It's difficult
to worry about something when you're
engaged with music:'
Miller, whose wife was treated at
Karmanos, said he also takes part in
Karmanos' art therapy program and
grief and loss support group. He appre-
ciates all the services that the center has
provided to him as he's dealt with the
grief of losing Carole.
"I think it's wonderful that Karmanos
offers this" he said. "This institution
really cares about people with cancer
and their families. They're saints:'
For information about participating
in Karmanos' music therapy program
or to make a donation, call Kathleen
Hardy at (248) 538-4712. ❑

Elizabeth A. Katz is the external market-

ing and communications manager at the

Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

