Subject: [Harp-L] harp as stroke therapy

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Hi Robert: 
 
There are several people connected with Spah who have been working with  
patients in hospitals for years already ...using harmonicas to improve lung  
function, which many pulmonologists seem to have embraced since harmonicas 
are  the only instrument one uses to breathe both in and out...and is a lot 
more  interesting and fun for the user than the medical equipment normally 
used. Terry  Rand (a Spah supporter) is one of the people behind this idea. 
They've held  Seminars and published articles in Harmonica Happenings. Here's a 
link with some  info:
 
http://www.randfinancialadvisors.com/ITN-NDN2006.html 
 
In rereading it, it turns out that there is a connection to a stroke victim 
 - something I hadn't known before. So it's definitely on the same track as 
you.  Mr.Rand later began working with Dr.Victor Yun 
 
_http://events.stanford.edu/events/207/20763/_ 
(http://events.stanford.edu/events/207/20763/)  
 
and they established an actual 'Harmonica for Health Committee' at  Spah.
 
Another player with major involvement is Buddy Wakefield.
 
...here are a couple of links including discussion of him in an  interview 
with Hohner, along with mentions of some of our  favourite harmonica people 
- many of them personal friends of  some here:<G>
 
_http://www.musicafter50.com/2009/08/harmonica-is-good-cheap-fun/_ 
(http://www.musicafter50.com/2009/08/harmonica-is-good-cheap-fun/) 
 
 
 
_http://www.lifebridgeblogs.org/category/respiratory-therapy/_ 
(http://www.lifebridgeblogs.org/category/respiratory-therapy/)  
 
 
Vinny Cupo, a member of the Garden State Harmonica Club has spent  several 
years, a lot of his own money, and much time drumming up funds from  others 
to help him buy harmonicas to give out to kids as he makes the rounds of  
children's wards at local hospitals. I believe his approach is more for the  
emotional solace it provides to kids with cancer or other very serious  
illnesses. He gave an impromptu but very moving talk about it during a GSHC  Open 
Mic Session this past November. 
 
As far as I know none of these people post on, read or have any connection  
to harp-l so you might wish to try to connect to them through Spah itself 
or  Harmonica Happenings, the Spah publication.
 
All of you have one main thing in common: complete selflessness and  
thinking outside the box when it comes to harmonicas. If this isn't Advancing  the 
harmonica while also doing a heckuva lot of good, I don't know what would  
be.
 
Best regards,
 
Elizabeth
 
 
Message: 7
Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 01:38:53 -0700
From: Robert Hale  <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] harp as stroke therapy
To:  harp-L list _harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx) 

A new student is a healthy and fit 50-year-old man who suffered a stroke  
two
years ago. His speech therapist urged him to study harmonica, and his  
nearby
music store referred him to me.

Only his speech centers were  affected, so harp is a perfect platform for
re-training movements of the  mouth, jaw, tongue, and of breathing.

What are your experiences teaching  those with a handicap or limitation?

Stay well
Play well

Robert  Hale is the DUKE of WAIL
Distance Learning via  Webcam
http://www.dukeofwail.com
Gilbert AZ  (Phoenix)