Riley patients learn the piano while undergoing dialysis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new program is using music to help kids who spend multiple hours a week in a hospital bed at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health.
Specifically, for kids who are undergoing hemodialysis for kidney conditions.
“I think the hard thing, especially for kids on hemo, that they just miss out so much on everyday life, and it’s just a huge financial burden for their families to get them back and forth, especially if they live out of town. They spend a minimum of four hours on the machine. So, they’re typically here five to six hours every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then add travel time onto it, so it’s basically a full-time job for these kids. So, they just miss so much of normal life,” said Bethanne Johnston, a nurse practitioner.
Johnston has been taking violin lessons at Vibe Music Academy.
“I just thought, ‘Gosh, that’d be great if we could get piano lessons while they were on dialysis.’”
So, for about a month now, a volunteer from Vibe Music Academy has been bringing in a keyboard to put on the bed of patients while they undergo dialysis.
“When you’re in a hospital setting there isn’t a lot of joy or beauty or art usually and so bringing in music can be a way to liven up a place that can be very sterile and cold. I also think it’s something that teaches a lot of character,” said the volunteer teaching the lessons, Bethany Daugherty.
Daughtery visits the patients one day a week and spends about half an hour with each of them.
“It’s been really rewarding. I really enjoyed getting to know the kids this is really music that matters because we’re bringing it to people that really need it and love it and wouldn’t have an opportunity to do it otherwise,” said Daughtery.
One of the patients taking advantage of the lessons is 12-year-old Jha’vion Shelton. He’s been on dialysis for about a year.
“Basically an autoimmune condition where his kidneys are damaged from his immune system being overactive and we were unable to stop it and ultimately damaged his kidneys for him needing his dialysis long term,” said David Haines,Chief of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension.
“It gives me something to do, instead of laying in the bed all day, doing nothing,” said Shelton about the lessons.
“It’s just so good, it’s so fun to learn.”