PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The power of music could be the mantra for this week’s Everyday Hero.
Kelly Morris spends plenty of busy mornings at the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital cancer unit.
But she’s not a doctor.
What You Need To Know
- This week's Everyday Hero is Kelly Morris, who coordinates the music therapy program at All Children's Hospital
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Morris is a board certified music therapist and coordinates the music therapy program at the hospital. She began doing music therapy at All Children's in 2012. She also has worked in everything hospice to school settings to residential facilities and with patients ranging in age from infants to older adults.
“Music therapy is a way to use music to reach non-musical goals,” Morris said. “So in the hospital setting that looks like decreasing pain using live music.”
And after a recent stop with 6-year-old Brandon and his mother Diana, it helped the child deal with anxiety.
Morris’ love of music and her job is matched by the love for the kids.
“All music therapists play guitar, sing and can do functional percussion,” she said. “So I primarily use a guitar.
“This is a rewarding job. It’s not easy. We see a lot of things people don’t want to see or experience but when you have those successes is very rewarding.”