Successful Music Therapy Program is One of St. Mary’s Innovative Complementary Care Initiatives

Holiday Season Benefit Concert Will Support Program and Help Expand It To Home Care Programs

Bayside, NY – Dr. Burton Grebin, President and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children, and Len Leeds, Founder and Senior Partner of the law firm of Leeds Morelli & Brown, spotlighted St. Mary’s successful music therapy program on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 and called for increased private funding to expand all of St. Mary’s innovative complementary care initiatives into the home and community programs.

“The compassionate care and intensive rehabilitation that our highly-skilled staff provide to more than 3,000 children each day in our inpatient and home care programs improves lives, but our complementary care – including music, art and poetry – truly enhances our patients’ experiences at St. Mary’s by inspiring and helping children heal better and faster,” Dr. Grebin said.

Music therapy is an established health service, similar to occupational therapy and physical therapy, which uses musical activities to address patient needs related to respiration, chronic pain, physical rehabilitation, diabetes, cardiac conditions and surgery, among others. Music therapy has been shown to reduce pain and stress, enhance the immune system, improve the emotional state of patients and even, decrease length of stay.

“Expanding the program will include the thousands of children receiving home care through our vast home and community delivery system, but funding must come from the private sector since existing payment for medical care does not include music therapy, complementary care or any of the other healing arts,” Dr. Grebin explained.

Grebin and Leeds also announced a special holiday season concert scheduled for Saturday, December 2, 2006 at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts to benefit, support and expand St. Mary’s music and art therapy programs. Rock and roll legend Neil Sedaka and special guest Len Leeds will perform.

“We are proud to donate the proceeds from this special concert and help St. Mary’s sustain and expand their program allowing for more of their inpatient and home care children to reap the benefits,” Mr. Leeds said.
Tickets are $85, $75 and $65 and can be purchased from Tilles Center Box Office at 516-299-3100 or at www.tillescenter.org. A limited number of VIP tickets, including a special “Meet and Greet” with Mr. Sedaka, are also available by calling 718-281-8890. This concert is produced by Entertainment Unlimited by Ted Fass.