Music Rx Music Carts

 

Nike, Herman Miller Team up to Create State-of-the-Art Music Rx® Mobile Music Carts for Hospitalized Kids

Over a year in the planning and creation, the carts are unveiled May 13, 2008 at Portland's Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital

It’s got four wheels, 100 musical instruments, songwriting software, a video screen and the power to help children by bringing music medicine directly to their hospital bedsides: the Music Rx® mobile music cart,  the world’s coolest music cart, designed by Nike, top furniture designer Herman Miller and the Portland-based Children’s Cancer Association.  

“For 12 years, CCA’s Music Rx® program has offered hospitalized children and teens a one-of-a-kind music experience, bringing the healing power of music directly to their bedsides, and transforming the hospital environment,” said CCA Founder and CEO Regina Ellis. “Herman Miller and Nike agreed to the possibility of creating something amazing and good for the world. When people link arms and work together and share, incredible things can happen.”

 

The new Music Rx music carts hold electronic keyboards, a laptop computer, a 10-iPod docking station, two acoustic guitars, and many more musical instruments

 

Many hospitals and organizations like CCA bring music to their patients, especially children because of its proven healing power. Music helps ease the stress and fear that comes with being away from home and battling life threatening illness. Music Rx® is a new ergonomically designed cart which uses cutting edge design combined with music technology and interactive tools to improve the hospital experience for patients.

“This is a special day. Two of the world’s best known brands have combined their talents in design and engineering to help seriously ill children and their families,” said Clare Hamill, Founding Board Chair, CCA and a Nike executive. “It's the start of something big. With help from sponsors, donors and hospital partners, the Music Rx® music carts can start bringing joy to children at hospitals throughout the country.”

A plasma video screen allows viewers to watch their favorite kid-friendly music videos, and to select the videos they want to watch. Sponsor information is also posted on the screen electronically.

Over a year ago, Hamill brought CCA together with a team of Nike and Herman Miller designers. Their challenge: create a cart based on kids attraction to technology, that would be interactive, and more than just a place to store and transport instruments. After months of research and design iterations, Nike and CCA worked with Herman Miller, a leading designer and manufacturer of furniture, to build the cart.

“It was a great experience to bring our expertise to bear on such an inspirational project,” said Herman Miller’s Gary Smith. “When you see the children’s faces light up when they see the cart, it puts everything in perspective. We are so proud of the team for pulling together to create something new and special.”

CCA is proud to partner with the Spirit Mountain Community Fund for this project.

 

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The Music Rx mobile music carts contains instruments for all ages and abilities, including MIDI electronic keyboards (above)

There are three aspects of Music Rx®, which include volunteer musicians playing instruments in hospital corridors, the interactive music cart, and on-call musicians who bring comforting music to terminally ill children and their families. Music Rx® started with one part-time music therapist and has grown to a multi-faceted program that includes three music therapists, a therapeutic music specialist, a music thanatologist and 50 volunteers. It serves thousands of children and families each year at five Portland-area hospitals and care facilities, and 24 pediatric units. Read more about Music Rx...

 

 

MUSIC Rx SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Please join the Children’s Cancer Association in bringing the healing power of music to hospitalized children in your local community and beyond. Become a Music Rx sponsor today.

In 2007 alone, this unique and innovative program brought music into 17 care units at 6 Oregon and Washington Children’s Hospitals 7,366 times. Beyond our local community, the Children’s Cancer Association will launch Music Rx Los Angeles in 2008 with fully-funded, staffed and equipped Music Rx programs at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA and Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach.

Sponsorship opportunities are available in Oregon and Washington starting at $10,000 and in Los Angeles beginning at the $50,000 level. Whether you become a top-level Rock Star Sponsor or select a supporting role, the marketing benefits are outweighed only by the powerful and immediate impact of your gift on thousands of hospitalized children and their families.

For more information, call 503.244.3141.

 

Senator Hillary Clinton, campaigning in Portland, Oregon on May 12, 2008, made an appearance with the CCA Music Rx music carts at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. The carts, operated by CCA's music specialists and therapists, serve hundreds of children at Doernbecher every week.