Spread the movement 'Bringing singing to hospitals'

(Baonghean) - Along with volunteer activities such as visiting, giving gifts, distributing free porridge..., the movement "Bringing singing to hospitals" is spreading more and more widely. This is a meaningful social activity, receiving the support of many patients.

Arriving at Nghe An Oncology Hospital on the night that Nghe An 37 Youth for Community Group was organizing the program “Volunteer singing”, the atmosphere of cultural exchange was very exciting. In the middle of the yard, under the bright electric lights, next to the old speakers and amplifiers, everyone gathered together to sing and dance happily.

The microphone was handed to each person, the vibrant melodies of youth, songs about homeland and country were continuously played in the waiting of hundreds of spectators, patients and their relatives standing around the hospital halls.

Nguyen Van An, a third-year student of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics, Vinh University of Technical Education - an active member of the volunteer group shared: "Coming to this program, I feel happy and meaningful. First of all, we ourselves have the opportunity to experience reality to understand more about life, then contribute to easing the pain of patients being treated here."

Cultural exchange night at the Provincial Oncology Hospital. Photo: Huy Thu

What surprised and touched the audience was the enthusiastic participation of the patients and their families in the program. They sang songs about love, homeland, etc. to other patients. Although the lyrics were “sometimes remembered, some times forgotten”, what was more valuable was the sincere feelings and the desire to live a healthy life.

Mr. Duong Van Son (58 years old), residing in Tan An commune (Tan Ky) - a patient being treated at the hospital said: “I have been treated here for a year. Due to my serious illness, I cannot watch performances regularly, but every night there is a performance, the whole hospital seems to be more excited. Thanks to this program, the gloomy atmosphere here has lessened, and we patients also feel more motivated to fight the disease.”

It is known that 2 years ago, while distributing porridge at Nghe An Oncology Hospital, seeing patients sitting around an old radio listening to singing, the idea of ​​"Volunteer singing" of the Nghe An 37 Community Youth Group was born.

Starting from March 2017, the program is held regularly at Nghe An Oncology Hospital every Saturday at 7:30 pm. Each night, about 20 volunteers participate. Up to now, the group has organized about 20 cultural exchanges here.

Science has confirmed that music has a certain role and effect as a therapy in supporting and treating diseases. Therefore, “Bringing singing to the hospital” is not a “singing for fun” movement but has a practical scientific basis and is widely supported by patients.

From big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang... the movement gradually spread to all provinces and cities across the country. In Nghe An, there are no official statistics, but from 5 to 7 years ago or more, hospitals in Vinh City began to welcome the program "Volunteer singing".

Patients join in the music night. Photo: Huy Thu

In recent years, the movement "Bringing singing to hospitals" has been expanding its scope of influence with many new features in both content, expression methods, and participants... Although the Nghe An 37 Community Youth Group has just launched the program and is small in scale, it is the most frequently active association and group.

Previously, Quang Minh Volunteer Club, Hoa Sen Security Group... organized many "singing for patients" programs at the Oncology Hospital, Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital... It is known that at the Provincial General Friendship Hospital, every year, the Social Assistance Board, Trade Union, Youth Union have coordinated with famous artists to regularly organize cultural exchange nights "Bringing singing to the sick", through which, calling for kind hearts, donating hundreds of millions of VND to help and support patients in difficult circumstances to have more funds for treatment.

As one of the active participants in the singing movement at hospitals, singer Chau Tuan (from Hanoi, working in Vinh) said that over the past 5 years, he and his colleagues have regularly participated in charity singing programs at hospitals. According to him, singing at hospitals is not like singing on other stages, you can sing in rooms, departments, for patients who cannot move or sing on a collective stage. "No matter where you sing, singing for patients is very emotional, sometimes I even cry with them" - Chau Tuan shared.

Huy Thu