By Samantha Thompson | Donor Relations Specialist
Veda is a charming young talent who is truly wise beyond her years. Both compassionate and polite, she’ll greet you with a handshake, a warm smile, and ask how you’re doing today.
This remarkable poise and grace has helped her face some daunting medical challenges in the past year. Last January, she started experiencing seizures and was placed in a medically induced coma for over two months. Tests eventually revealed leukemia—and thus began a grueling course of treatment that involved over 20 rounds of chemotherapy.
Throughout her journey, CCA’s in-hospital MyMusicRx Specialists were there to provide regular jam sessions that Veda always looked forward to. And when she started learning to play guitar, CCA bought her one of her very own. Last year, she even participated in CCA’s annual Bedstock music festival with her own soulful rendition of “Keep Your Head Up.”
Today, Veda is in the maintenance phase of her treatment plan and eagerly getting back to her favorite activities: writing, playing music, and especially singing. While she’s talented enough to pursue a career as a vocalist, her real passion is helping others—especially kids and animals. “I don’t like to think about kids or animals suffering, and I want to help,” she explained. “So I’d like to be a veterinarian or maybe start a nonprofit to help kids somehow.”
Veda was named a 2016 CCA Hero and was honored at ceremony in May alongside her family and friends.
CCA continues to deliver MyMusicRx to thousands of seriously ill kids like Veda across the U.S. and Canada, serving 5,300 children in the past year. Trained MyMusicRx Specialists engage kids in bedside sing-a-longs, offer instrument lending for self-expression, and provide access to CCA’s digital music medicine program, MyMusicRx.org. Scientifically proven to help pediatric patients manage pain, boost immunity, and decrease emotional stress, CCA uses music medicine to heal.
With your generous donation, we can grow this program and spread the healing joy of music to more children, teens, and families.
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