Gift of music helps distract Burn Unit patients from pain

What can a guy do with 4,000 CDs? “Help someone heal”, says music therapist Gemma Isaac. That’s what happened on August 13 when Brian Thompson, Vancouver music collector, packed up his massive collection of CDs and sent it to VGH, where Isaac will use them in her work.

“We know from evidence-based research that patients who listen to music have reduced anxiety and distraction from pain,” said Isaac from her office on the BC Professional Firefighters’ Burn, Plastic and Trauma Unit at VGH. “Music really helps not just the physical healing, but it also supports the emotional and spiritual healing of someone suffering from trauma. It’s simple, effective and there are no side-effects.” Music therapy can also simulate the brain after severe trauma and help build new neural pathways to aid recovery.

Thompson – who’s also a music consultant, blogger, podcaster and instructor on the business of music at Langara College – couldn’t think of a more worthy cause for his prize collection. “Music has such an amazing power in our lives and its therapeutic qualities are often overlooked.”

“The Foundation is delighted that Brian’s collection will be put to such a good use. I’ve been a long-time believer in the power that music and art has on patient recovery,” says Jim O’Hara, VP, Leadership Giving, at VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation and Volunteer Art Program Manager. “So when this very unique donation came our way, we just knew that we had to find a way to get them into Gemma’s hands.”

Transportation of the CDs was kindly provided by Red Truck Brewery, along with members of the Vancouver Fire Fighters who did the heavy lifting.