The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative Care
Music therapy in paediatric palliative care offers a unique opportunity for emotional support, legacy creation, and therapeutic connection for children and their families. This paper describes the Heartbeats Intervention, as delivered by a paediatric palliative care music therapist at Sydney Childre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/7/884 |
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| author | Holly E. Evans Matthew Ralph Tiina Jaaniste Claire E. Wakefield Ursula M. Sansom-Daly |
| author_facet | Holly E. Evans Matthew Ralph Tiina Jaaniste Claire E. Wakefield Ursula M. Sansom-Daly |
| author_sort | Holly E. Evans |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Music therapy in paediatric palliative care offers a unique opportunity for emotional support, legacy creation, and therapeutic connection for children and their families. This paper describes the Heartbeats Intervention, as delivered by a paediatric palliative care music therapist at Sydney Children’s Hospital Australia. This intervention involves recording and creatively integrating the heartbeats of children and family members into personalised musical compositions. Originally inspired by music therapist Brian Schreck’s work, the intervention has evolved to meet diverse therapeutic goals, from soothing children with serious illnesses (including cancer) with recordings of their families’ heartbeats to creating legacy song tracks that support families through bereavement. Despite some logistical and resource challenges, the intervention has been well-received and continues to expand, including the integration of environmental soundscapes and broader community involvement, which allows the intervention to be experienced by a greater number of families. This paper contributes to the limited but growing literature on music therapy in paediatric palliative care, highlighting the Heartbeats Intervention as a flexible and meaningful way to enhance psychosocial support and connection for children and their families. Further research to evaluate its long-term impact and to explore children’s direct experiences of the intervention is needed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d69a62249f784bdc82ad7cfc33ba7fa5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj-art-d69a62249f784bdc82ad7cfc33ba7fa52025-08-20T02:45:38ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672025-07-0112788410.3390/children12070884The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative CareHolly E. Evans0Matthew Ralph1Tiina Jaaniste2Claire E. Wakefield3Ursula M. Sansom-Daly4Behavioural Sciences Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of New South Wales Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2031, AustraliaDepartment of Palliative Care, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, AustraliaSchool of Clinical Medicine, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of New South Wales Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2031, AustraliaBehavioural Sciences Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of New South Wales Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2031, AustraliaBehavioural Sciences Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of New South Wales Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2031, AustraliaMusic therapy in paediatric palliative care offers a unique opportunity for emotional support, legacy creation, and therapeutic connection for children and their families. This paper describes the Heartbeats Intervention, as delivered by a paediatric palliative care music therapist at Sydney Children’s Hospital Australia. This intervention involves recording and creatively integrating the heartbeats of children and family members into personalised musical compositions. Originally inspired by music therapist Brian Schreck’s work, the intervention has evolved to meet diverse therapeutic goals, from soothing children with serious illnesses (including cancer) with recordings of their families’ heartbeats to creating legacy song tracks that support families through bereavement. Despite some logistical and resource challenges, the intervention has been well-received and continues to expand, including the integration of environmental soundscapes and broader community involvement, which allows the intervention to be experienced by a greater number of families. This paper contributes to the limited but growing literature on music therapy in paediatric palliative care, highlighting the Heartbeats Intervention as a flexible and meaningful way to enhance psychosocial support and connection for children and their families. Further research to evaluate its long-term impact and to explore children’s direct experiences of the intervention is needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/7/884paediatric palliative caremusic therapyheartbeat recordingsintegrative medicinechildren and adolescentscancer |
| spellingShingle | Holly E. Evans Matthew Ralph Tiina Jaaniste Claire E. Wakefield Ursula M. Sansom-Daly The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative Care Children paediatric palliative care music therapy heartbeat recordings integrative medicine children and adolescents cancer |
| title | The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative Care |
| title_full | The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative Care |
| title_fullStr | The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative Care |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative Care |
| title_short | The Rhythm of Connection: Describing the Heartbeats Intervention for Patients and Families Receiving Paediatric Palliative Care |
| title_sort | rhythm of connection describing the heartbeats intervention for patients and families receiving paediatric palliative care |
| topic | paediatric palliative care music therapy heartbeat recordings integrative medicine children and adolescents cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/7/884 |
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