Ukuleles ease stay in children’s hospital

Cincinnati Enquirer, July 8, 2010

Isabella, 4, is receiving extended care for a long-term illness at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. When she is having a good day, she sits up in her bed or heads to her hospital room play tent and strums a midnight blue ukulele with her mother. The youngster has had access to the instrument for about six weeks, according to Brian Schreck, a music therapist at the hospital. When she is having a good day, she sits up in her bed  When her mother softly plays a familiar song on the ukulele, Isabella smiles. When Isabella creates her own ditty, and strums the strings in just the right way, she giggles. It's that moment of unfettered joy that makes the music therapy program worthwhile.