Hayden Ritchie loves to be outside riding her horse, Kota. So when she is cooped up in a hospital room for days at a time to treat her leukemia, distractions are welcome — and necessary. One of her recent distractions was Children’s Medical Center music therapist Annie Cross who came with drums, guitars, a tambourine and more.
Annie doesn’t only bring instruments. She brings laughter — something that can be hard to find in a hospital. When I watched Annie interact with Hayden, I could tell that she put her whole heart into their session together.
And this 6-year-old from Crandall, Texas could tell, too. She told me, ”The hospital is a good place and you get treated well. I love the fact that the girl came in and we sang.”
Heather and Annie, thank you for sharing this music therapy session. It serves as a terrific example of our hospital’s mission in action. While these services are not quantifiable, there is no question that they make life better for children and their families. I am very grateful for departments like music therapy, child life and pastoral care for providing these kinds of invaluable services to our patients and their families.