Volunteer pianists ease the pain at Hamilton cancer centre

The Juravinski Cancer Centre isnt a place most would associate with music. But Bruce McDonald does.

The 77-year-old cancer survivor treks to the centre with an armful of music books every Tuesday, playing a selection of positive songs on the atrium piano. His favourite songs are Over the Rainbow and When You Wish Upon a Star.

Youre here to try to eliminate all the negatives in your body, said McDonald. Im not a doctor, but I think its very important to think positively and not come in here thinking youre going to die.

McDonald is one of a handful of volunteers who play the piano to ease the mood forpatients visiting the centre. A retired piano tuner, McDonald became a volunteerin 2006 afterhe was diagnosed with prostate cancer, the same illness that killed his brother John in 2001.

If you think about why youre here, you think of cancer and you think you could die...But with the music, I had something to think about.- Bruce McDonald

His second day of radiation, he noticed the piano. He hovered around it, not wanting to disrupt order by playing it. The third day, he found a volunteer playing, and heasked the woman if he could play it while she went for coffee.

For the next seven weeks, he visited the centre for radiation, and every day, he played the piano.

It gave me something to think about besides why I was here, he said.

If you think about why youre here, you think of cancer and you think you could die. Because of the experience with my brother, I didnt know how much longer I had. But with the music, I had something to think about.

It seems to work that way for patients who listen too, said Dr. Gord Okawara, who co-ordinates the program with his administrative assistant Anna Krpan. The piano is located at the baseof the five-storey atrium,next to the coffee shop. Staff and visitors chat at tables nearby. Every note from the piano driftsupward through the atrium to all levels of the centre.

Five floors of listeners

"You never know whos listening, said Okawara, who is also a musician. You can never see your total audience because it goes up so high. You just never know who you touch with your music.

At any given time, there is a rosterof 10 to 20 volunteers who play at the atrium, he said. Some are staff. Others are community members and cancer survivors.

Some initiatives are difficult to keep going," he said, "but this seems to have a life of its own.

McDonald looks forward to it every week. He remembers what cancer treatment was like for him, when he was weak and fearful and not knowing if hed live. Each day he plays, people approach him and thank him.

When Im playing, theres something filling this room other than conversation, he said. I think its good for them. Its good for me. Thats why I come in here.