The healing power of music

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Janusz Masztalerz
  • U.S. Air Forces Central band sound engineer
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AFNS) --  Children are the same all over the world. They laugh, smile, sing funny songs, love their parents and just want to be happy. But they also cry and you can see sadness in their beautiful eyes when they suffer.

We saw sadness in the eyes of the children when the members of the U.S. Air Forces Central band Wild Blue Country arrived at Children's Cancer Center in Bishkek. The little patients were shy and quiet while entering a small activity room where we set up for our performance. They simply did not know what to expect. Is it time for another, painful chemotherapy session? Are we foreign doctors who would give them some new medication? But suddenly they noticed all the various musical instruments!

They were still very quiet when the band began to play the first song.  Suddenly their eyes sparkled. Clearly, they could not understand the words to the song but they were just fascinated by the sound of our music. This was music they were not familiar with and probably had never heard before.

By the time the band played the third country song, some children started to clap their little hands. The clapping was very, very gentle; they were almost afraid we may not like it and would stop playing.

That presented an awesome opportunity for us to do something extraordinary. We had brought with us simple percussion instruments: shakers, drum sticks and little tambourines.  We handed them all to our very special audience. Suddenly, the next song was accompanied by an enthusiastic and spontaneous percussion orchestra! All children were playing along with emotions coming from the bottom of their hearts. They were laughing and smiling and I'm pretty sure that was the moment they forgot about their illnesses and suffering. For at least an hour, music was the best medicine, maybe even more powerful than chemotherapy drugs.

After the performance, some of the children invited us to their hospital rooms. With help from 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Medical Group staff we gave each patient toys, candies, Wild Blue Country CDs and Air Force patches that they proudly attached to their jackets.

Even more importantly, we had a chance to interact with their parents who expressed deepest gratitude for our visit. It was a powerful reminder that we are all the same human beings and we will do anything possible for our children. My heart breaks when they suffer and there's not much I can do to relieve their pain.

As a band member, I am very grateful for the opportunity to bring music and joy to the patients at Children's Cancer Center in Bishkek. I will never forget that very emotional experience. It reminded me again that, despite all the wars and conflicts, children all over the world are the same. In their beautiful eyes you can see hope for better future for all of us.