'Music as medicine' shows power of melody

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- "You will participate, or there will be consequences. I will leave this podium. I will find you and I will kiss you."It wasn't an empty threat.Famed music therapist Deforia Lane crawled through the 200-person crowd at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center more than once to find the doctor, nurse, parent or child who wasn't playing well with others.Lane, resident director of music therapy at the University Hospitals of Cleveland Ireland Cancer Center and author of "Music as Medicine," came to Memphis recently to share her story and give inspiration to children and doctors alike."I believe music has implications from the first cry to the last breath," Lane told the crowd.She explained how breast cancer had changed her life and what she had done to cope.She played games, asking the medical personnel -- men and women trained to recognize the precise passing of time -- to close their eyes and raise one hand when they thought one minute had passed. When the clock started, a loud, fast-paced bluegrass tune blared from the front of the auditorium.The first hand came up at 12 seconds, and more than half were raised by 45 seconds. Lane said music can make a moment pass as quickly or slowly as it likes.Several examples later, she explained the foundation of music therapy and what she had seen it accomplish.From soothing unruly patients to coaxing a happy phrase from the mouth of a mute girl, Lane shared stories and videos from the miracles she's witnessed throughout her career.Thomas Hobson, director of Le Bonheur's Child Life program and a board-certified music therapist, said Lane's visit was a sort of kick-off for what he hopes to accomplish.Child Life uses play time to familiarize children with medical tools and terms so they're neither mysterious nor frightening."I've seen her at national conferences, but this is an amazing opportunity," Hobson said. "What better way to spike interest in the field than bring in a big name like Mrs. Lane?"After the seminar, five young therapists, volunteers and interns stood wide-eyed, waiting to speak to Lane.She shared several tidbits about using instruments, making it through school and handling especially difficult patients.The more transparent you are, the more genuine you are, she said. No one needs to know everything, but children can see through lies.Still learning about the budding profession, Tom Hayden, a master's student home for the summer, enjoyed Lane's use of technology and her motto: "If you don't collect data, it didn't happen.""I love that you use videos," he told Lane. "Seeing is believing. You hear these things happen, but, wow."(Contact Megan Harris of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., at XX(at)xxx.com.)