Corey Ribotsky Info

Hospitalization is one of the most traumatic events in the life of a child. Whether for a chronic condition like asthma, a one-time operation on a broken leg, or regular treatment for devastating illnesses such as cancer, a hospital stay can be an overwhelmingly difficult episode for a young person.

Children’s hospitals and pediatric wards now employ a range of programs and resources to try to alleviate some of the anxiety and worry that an inpatient stay can engender for their young patients. Music has been shown to be a particularly effective coping tool for children dealing with serious illness. Youthful patients, from babies through teenagers, benefit from hearing music, learning new instruments, and developing musical skills.  This is the theory behind the Heather on Earth Music Foundation, which, with the help of supporters like Corey Ribotsky, provides music therapy programs in pediatric hospitals in the United States and throughout the world, using music as a dynamic tool to empower children facing illness and to help improve their hospital experience.