Music To Soothe Sick Kids – A New Hush CD And Concert

Dr Catherine Crock knows how scary hospitals can be for kids. For ten years she has worked at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) where she is in charge of the general anaesthesia list for painful procedures in children with cancer. She continues to work on ways to minimise the stress and anxiety for families of sick children.

Music – the RCH Hush Collection – is one innovative, entrepreneurial way.

About Hush

Coming from a music-loving family, Catherine had the idea and the foresight to use the soothing qualities of music, and to work with some of Australia’s foremost musicians, to create and then expand – on a voluntary basis – the Hush collection of CDs to help children and their parents during medical procedures.

This collection is a special compilation of music designed to calm and relax people of all ages. It is used within 12 Children’s Hospitals and wards around Australia, in operating theatres, treatment rooms and waiting areas, as well as to manage unsettled babies.

The Proceeds From The Project

The project is supported by all the Children’s Hospitals and the proceeds are shared between them.

Each hospital can use the funds to best suit their needs, for instance pain management for children with cancer, research into blood vessel tumours, palliative care and music therapy, patient and family centred care.

The Next Hush CD And Concert – ‘Luminous – Inspired By Mozart’

Gifted pianist and composer Joe Chindamo presents Reconceptions of Mozart’s Music, performing with Violinist Zoe Black and friends.

The concert will be broadcast on ABC Classic FM and compered by Emma Ayres.

When 8pm, Wednesday 14 September, 2011. Please be seated by 7.45pm

Where Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, The Melbourne Recital Centre, Cnr Southbank Boulevard & Sturt Street, Southbank

Tickets Adults $50. Concession $25. Book now

A Bit More About Catherine

* In 2004 she was awarded The Royal Children’s Hospital’s Chairman’s medal for advocating for families.
* In 2006 she was awarded the Minister’s Award for outstanding individual achievement at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.
* In 2007 her team in Day Surgery were awarded the Australian Council for Healthcare Standards National award for Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety.
* In 2008 she was invited as a delegate to the Prime Minister’s 2020 summit to discuss patient and family centred care.
* In 2010 she travelled to the US and UK on a Churchill Fellowship to examine patient and family centred care and patient safety.

Her projects include:

* Family-Day-SurgCreating teaching videos for parents, children and staff to view before procedures.
* A trial of a new treatment of painful ulcers in babies with vascular tumours.
* A trial to minimise the severity of lumbar puncture headaches.
* Investigating ways to reduce the pain of blood tests and other procedures in children.
* Investigating period problems in adolescents with chronic fatigue.
* Introducing regular music therapy to day surgery.
* Introducing parent pagers and video phones for patients.
* Introducing a music and information channel to hospital televisions .
* The creation of the Hush Collection www.hush.org.au and Cello Lullaby www.cellolullaby.org.au
* Using these CDs with all children’s hospitals in Australia

Enjoy the concert