UNMC medical student Natasha Hongsermeier-Graves is bringing music to residents of care facilities during the COVID-19 crisis.
Hongsermeier-Graves first created her group, Musicians for Healing, when she was a music major as an undergraduate at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa.
The group was co-founded with and inspired by her private flute instructor, who had been battling cancer for 10 years when Hongsermeier-Graves became her student. It was a battle she lost last spring.
“When she felt well enough, she would go play at the cancer center in Sioux City,” Hongsermeier-Graves said. “As a patient, she knew that when she had to go get her radiation treatments, she would just be sitting alone in the waiting room, and there was this anxious silence, and she wished it could be filled with something to take her mind off that.”
When Hongsermeier-Graves confided to her instructor that she had started developing performance anxiety, she was invited along.
“She called it an outlet to practice performing,” Hongsermeier-Graves said.
Already interested in a health care career, Hongsermeier-Graves embraced the effort, filling what she saw as a huge, unmet need in the community.
“Just the idea of bringing music to people in health care settings spoke to me,” she said.
By the time Hongsermeier-Graves left Sioux City, the group had nearly 50 musicians from Morningside College and the Siouxland community.
When she arrived at UNMC, she decided to recreate the group in Nebraska. Joining the Nebraska Medical Center Orchestra, she sought out like-minded medical student musicians and began another Musicians for Healing group with the help of Matthew Brooks, director of the orchestra, and Steven Wengel, M.D., assistant vice chancellor for campus wellness.
“They were key to getting this going at Nebraska Medicine.
“I have about 25 students who have expressed interest so far, and I’ve performed with one other medical student,” she said. “I also have contacts with local high schools. Anybody in the community is welcome to join the group, but right now, I’m just starting with UNMC students.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected playing opportunities. While Musicians for Healing generally plays in health care settings — waiting areas, patient rooms — that’s not possible now.
“It’s pretty tricky,” she said. “The intent of this is to reach patients, not just people walking through the lobby, and that’s not possible now. But we can play outdoors at nursing homes or assisted living facilities. At one facility, we played in the parking lot, about 20 feet away from the patio fence, and people could come out or open their windows to listen to us.”
This week Hongsermeier-Graves and eight other UNMC students will be performing outdoors at two residence centers where residents can listen from the safety of their rooms with open windows.
“My flute teacher always used to say that music begins where the words leave off,” she said. “Music can impact you in ways that you don’t understand but can feel. That’s what I’m trying to bring to people – to bring them to a better place mentally, even if it’s only for a few minutes.”
Congratulations to you, Natasha, and kudos to Dr. Wengel and Director Brooks!
Outstanding work! These bright, caring and more importantly compassionate medical students reassures us of the future of our profession and health care in America.