Family Supports Music Therapy Program
Ethnomusicologists Drs. Terry and Sara Miller have spent decades focused on their love of and the importance of music. When they learned that UH’s music therapy program is internationally recognized as one of the best by the American Cancer Society, the National Endowment for the Arts and others, they were inspired to support it.
Three years ago, the couple made a gift of $115,000 to the Healing Arts Fund at UH Portage Medical Center. Their support funded music therapy for UH patients at this location for the first time.
Terry Miller, PhD, professor emeritus of Ethnomusicology at Kent State University and a renowned expert in the music of Mainland Southeast Asia, North America, the Caribbean and China, commented that he and his wife “were surprised to learn that UH is so progressive in making music therapy a normal matter at so many of its facilities.”
Interactive music sessions addressing a wide array of health issues are held at UH Portage with patients of all ages. Research shows that music therapy curbs anxiety, tension, depression, and promotes relaxation through a release of endorphins that reduce the need for anesthesia and pain medication.
In a survey, one patient shared that “music therapy has been as valuable to me as my doctors.”
Recently, Terry and Sara committed an additional $120,000 to the UH Connor Integrative Health Network Music Therapy program. Their generous gift unlocks a match of $60,000 from Sara and Chris Connor in support of music therapy, further enhancing music’s impact on patients at UH Portage.
Terry explained, “In making the donation, we feel we can help people in our own community and we know exactly where it’s going.”
Join Terry and Sara and make a gift to support the music therapy program at UH Connor Integrative Health Network.