The Lily Calvert Musical Care program at Very Special Kids is launched

The Lily Calvert Foundation will be fund a new musical care program at Very Special Kids, called the Lily Calvert Music Program in honor of Lily and her love for music. The Lily Calvert Musical Care program will now allow all children opportunities for music throughout their stay at Victoria’s only pediatric palliative care hospice. Through this program, all children in the hospice will have access to music everyday.

The program is innovative as it extends music therapy practices outside of formal therapy based settings, bringing music into to all areas of the children’s daily lives at the hospice. The program has been informed and built with input from leading music therapists and palliative care specialists.

Previously budget restraints at VSK meant that the children only had access to music therapy two days a week. The funding will enable the music program to grow, by providing resources and training to staff and volunteers to share with children and families in the hospice. We anticipate that the experiences of children in the hospice will be enhanced through daily opportunities for music and supportive musical interactions.

Priyanka said ‘Music therapy sessions were our favourite time of every week. Lily just lit up to the music, it really helped her engage with us. Music therapy has the power to tap into all areas of the brain and it was an amazing communication and engagement tool for our whole family. We really wanted to be able to share that joy with other families’