Breast Cancer: Music and Healing

While recently doing my usual research about the latest medications and breast cancer treatments that are being tested, I suddenly started to think about something that I have always found to have great healing powers for me. No matter whether I was dealing with breast cancer or domestic abuse or just about any other crisis in my life, be it small or large, I could always turn to music to help me. While I could never begin to figure out how and/or why it works, it doesn’t really matter. All I know is that it works for me and may be one of the best therapies for all of us.

I believe that music does heal the soul and I would recommend to anyone that you turn on your favorite music and just get lost in the feelings that will overtake you. And I am pretty sure that you will find as I have that the music will help you in ways that you may never have imagined.Barbara Jacoby

I don’t know exactly what triggered my mind to bring back the thoughts of all of the enjoyment that I remembered with regard to music as I was growing up. It was the one thing that I probably enjoyed more than just about anything else but it was never an interest in a particular artist that captured my attention. While I will say that there were a few groups that I particularly enjoyed, it was the message in the lyrics or the melody of a song that always stood out for me. I might not be able to tell you who wrote or performed a particular song but I knew the lyrics to every single song that ever touched my soul.

There was nothing like a wonderful summer day when school was out and we just we cranked up the radio and danced and sang and enjoyed our freedom from school and appreciated the wonderful life that we had. I remember many occasions when I was feeling sad or lonely or upset about something and I just turned on the music and got lost in the lyrics of one of my favorite tunes. I will never forget the great dances that were held where everyone turned out and just let go and rocked the night away and when the event was over, we all went home with huge smiles on our faces.

For years after that, as I grew into being an adult and living my life especially during the times when I was on my own, I still would crank up the music and sing along and dance as a free spirit. I believe that I lost this love and appreciation of music at the time that I received my original diagnosis of breast cancer. It wasn’t that I made a choice to just step away from the music but rather my mind was so focused on so many other things that it seemed like my mind got way too busy to find room to allow the music in.  After all how can I find time to sing and dance when my head was so full of doctors’ appointments and tests and surgeries and pain and recovery and fear and constantly dealing with the unknown?

Even after the surgeries and treatments were completed, I turn my focus to writing. At this time I would seek out a quiet spot with no music or any sound except for perhaps the TV in the background that served as white noise. But my beloved music had been left far behind. I had lost the connection in so many ways including with the music that was not only in my past but also in my present.

Music heals the soul. It touches you deep down inside. It takes away the focus on fears and doubts and unhappiness and replaces it with a feeling of warmth and contentment and expression of feelings that are so positive. I believe that music also heals the mind and I would recommend to anyone that you turn on your favorite tunes and just get lost in the feelings that will overtake you. And I am pretty sure that you will find as I have that the music will help you in ways that you may never have imagined.