LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If there is such a thing as a favorite part of cancer treatment for Gillian Hollis, it would be music therapy.
Music therapy comes standard during treatment at Norton Cancer Institute – St. Matthews. That’s what board certified music therapist Kennedy McCollam provides. McCollam orchestrates sessions like the one with patient Hollis.
“We just play music, whatever pumps into our heads and we laugh, and we sing some more and we laugh some more,” Hollis told Spectrum News 1.
Powered by acoustic guitars, Hollis sings during her chemotherapy treatments.
Earlier this year, Hollis was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare cancer that develops in the lymphatic system.
“I developed this odd dry cough, and it only happened on humid days and if I hadn’t been singing a lot, but it might not have bothered me enough,” Hollis explained.
As a patient, Hollis brings a certain vibrato to the music therapy jam sessions. She is a professional opera singer.
“I actually love that because I love saying I am an opera singer, and everybody goes ‘what! wow!’” Hollis said.
Hollis has graced stages across the country, but her diagnosis put her touring career on hold, all while not knowing if she’d ever sing professionally again.
“This is an entirely new experience for me being a patient in the hospital and coming here for these treatments, you don’t know how it’s going to go, you don’t know how it’s going to feel, you don’t know what your journey is going to be,” Hollis said from her hospital room.
Chemotherapy began more than six months ago. Each treatment can last three to four hours, but the monotony of sitting in a chair while hooked up to machines is broken up with set lists of music and singing.
“Actually, my least favorite things are the two meds they just gave me, which are the anti-nausea meds and the and the one that tastes like expired Flintstones,” Hollis said.
Music therapy accompanied each of Hollis’ infusions, provided by McCollam.
“Getting chemo is such an uncomfortable experience for your body, but then singing is something that your body enjoys, so it kind of balances it,” McCollam said.
McCollam helped Hollis learn to embrace and practice music in a way she never had. As the joy of singing returned, so did so of the strength Hollis had lost.
“Patients like Gillian and music therapy visits like we had just remind me why I chose to do this with my and it really is what keeps pushing me and keeps me going on the difficult days,” McCollam told Spectrum News 1.
Hopefully, the most difficult days are behind Hollis as she completes her 12th and final treatment.
“With Kennedy here, I got to remember that music wasn’t just my job. Music is like my life and part of who I am and also just a fun thing,” Hollis said.
Hollis says she has a checkup with her Norton doctors in December.