By Samantha Thompson | Donor Relations Specialist
Fun fact: Isa means rainbow in Chamorro, which is the indigenous language of Guam. It also perfectly describes this vibrant, colorful girl, whose beautiful spirit shines everywhere she goes.
This past year, Isa was suddenly stricken with juvenile dermatomyositis. Complications from this rare autoimmune disease left her barely able to move or speak.During her long stay in the hospital, Isa found that music was a welcome distraction. Although she was hesitant at first, she came to love singing with the MyMusicRx team and playing along on the keyboard.
For Isa’s parents, Ashley and Tim, hearing their daughter sing again was truly a gift. “We had gone for months without hearing her voice. So to hear her sing again and find joy in it was really special.”
Today, Isa is home and continuing her long recovery. She enjoys playing the piano, doing Legos with her two little brothers, and studying science in hopes of becoming a chemist someday. “I like experimenting with goopy stuff!” she laughed.
When asked what advice she had for other kids facing medical challenges, nine-year-old Isa replied with her typical strength and wisdom: "Keep fighting, because there’s a big reward at the end. There may be even better things ahead."
Isa was recently named a 2017 CCA Hero and was honored at a ceremony in May alongside friends and family.
CCA continues to deliver MyMusicRx to thousands of seriously ill kids like Isa 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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