Music Therapy Program at the WVU Cancer Institute

Our sweet friend Aimee Thorn passed away from colon cancer just over 6 months ago. Aimee was a light in this world and a fierce fighter in her battle with cancer. The toughness, fight, courage, and strength she showed during her treatments was nothing short of extraordinary and inspirational.

As a way to honor Aimee and help current/future cancer patients at the WVU Cancer Institute, we are raising money to help fund the Music Therapy program. If you knew Aimee at all, you know how much she loved singing and music (and this program). It's impossible to describe the levels of pain (among other things) cancer patients deal with on a daily basis, but the relief, the smiles, the singing, the happiness, and the ability to almost forget what they are going through while participating in music therapy is worth every penny (and then some).

Currently, the program is funded just one day a week but we have big plans to help it be funded 5 days a week, hire a full-time music therapist, and eventually fully fund the program with an endowment. We can't do that alone as those Powerball tickets have not panned out (yet). So we need your help!

Maybe you sing in the car with a special group of friends that could donate together, or maybe you're a musician, or in a band, or were/are in the WVU band, or sing in a choir, or just do karaoke on Thursdays and you see the value in singing and music, or maybe you and some fellow cancer survivors would like to partner up to donate, or your social/church group would like a challenge or an effort to get behind, or your business is looking for an opportunity to participate in helping cancer patients, or maybe you just want a nice way to help us honor Aimee. Whatever your reason, we hope you will consider donating.

To help raise money to fund the music therapy program, I will be running a half-marathon this Saturday, March 18 in Aimee's honor. I'm asking for any kind of donation, big or small, to help us reach our goal. These donations can be dollars per mile (13.1 miles) or a flat amount. All donations will be delivered to the Music Therapy Program at the WVU Cancer Institute on the #WVUDayofGiving (March 22) in Aimee's honor.

I hope you'll join me in this effort to bring music and joy to cancer patients at WVU, in honor of one of the best people I've ever known.