The benefits of music for young hospital patients and their families are many. Soothing melodies can help ease worry, alleviate pain, promote healing, and provide a welcome reprieve from treatment. Research suggests that live music may be more impactful than pre-recorded arrangements. So, Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego partnered with Grammy Award–winning rock band Switchfoot and the Switchfoot Bro-Am Foundation to create Music Mondays to share the healing power of live music.
On the first Monday of every month, a different local artist performs an interactive session in the Hospital’s main lobby. Naturally, Switchfoot was the first.
“We want every child to experience the healing that comes from music. What a gift, that a song can welcome joy and beauty even into the moments that might feel uncertain or unsettling,” says Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman. “As a band, we are honored to partner with Rady Children’s and to invite other musicians to do the same.”
Music Mondays is a passion project for both the Hospital and Switchfoot Bro-Am, says Sara McPhilmy, director of philanthropy, corporate and community development for the Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation. The series has also featured Olympic skateboarder Bryce Wettstein strumming the ukulele, the Hospital’s Healing Arts performer Karl Anthony leading an expressive drum circle, and other local musicians. So far, Music Mondays has been a hit.
“Having Music Mondays in the lobby is a motivator for our kids to get up and get out of their beds, and come down and see—that’s something that we’ve found very impactful,” McPhilmy says. “The music, of course, can have healing properties, but the activation itself and the encouragement to go see something special has been very meaningful for our families.”
Music Mondays demonstrates the healing power of music and raises awareness of the need for music therapy.
Musical Memories
While the Music Mondays program is relatively new, healing harmonies and soothing sounds have had a presence in the Hospital for decades. Rady Children’s started its philanthropy-funded music program in 1995, and to this day, it remains one of the most impactful elements of the Hospital’s Healing Arts program.
Hospitals aren’t usually known for fun, but Rady Children’s has taken steps to make the environment special. That includes toys and games, special events, art, and, of course, music. At any given time, the sounds of the guitar, harp, and other instruments can be heard resonating from patient rooms.
Musicians travel throughout the Hospital, visiting patients, families, and staff members who need a whimsical pick-me-up. They frequently visit the neonatal intensive care unit, the pediatric intensive care unit, Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, the rehabilitation unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services, and Alexa’s PLAYC preschool.