Cancer patient's poems turn into 9-track album 'The Journey'

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Through lovely lyrics, Linda Trummer shares her personal journey of fighting two types of cancer.

"Really working on these projects have been hopeful and given me hope," Trummer said. They've given me something to live for."

In August of 2015, Trummer was diagnosed with a slow growing type of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. About a month later doctors found a second type, which is much more aggressive and without a cure.  From there, Trummer started writing. Updates on Facebook turned into poems, until one day her cousin living out of state turned one into a song.

“Initially, through the grieving process, you go through the anger and the fear and really wonder what's to come. Then you start focusing on getting ready to die,” Trummer said.  “At some point through that process you are inspired to start living again.”

Like many patients at the Frauenshuh Cancer Center, Trummer found solace in the world renowned music therapy program. That’s where she met  Laney Donohue, an intern with the perfect voice for more of her poems.

“This is her dream, to have these songs reach such a wide audience,” Donohue said.

Through an immense amount of work and fundraising Trummer self-published a book for fellow cancer patients and raised enough to produce the nine-track CD, "The Journey." The proceeds will help not only the music therapy program, but other resources those fighting cancer might need.

“I hope it inspires people to do something meaningful while they can,” Trummer said.

Trummer’s CD, titled "The Journey" is available at all Park Nicollet locations and can be downloaded off iTunes. Trummer’s book, "From Hair to There: A Personal Journey Through Cancer" can be purchased off Amazon as well.