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Minnesota girl battles cancer with music therapy
A 12-year-old Minnesota girl is crediting music therapy for changing the course of her battle with cancer. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has the full story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A 12-year-old Minnesota girl has an extra reason to be grateful this Thanksgiving holiday.
Hailey Heiden reunited with her music therapist at Children’s Minnesota on Wednesday.
Hailey said creating music helped her fight during the darkest times of her cancer journey.
Story of resilience
The backstory:
Hailey had been in and out of the hospital since she was 7 years old with several conditions.
Her mother, Lisa Heiden, vividly remembers the moment in 2023 when she got the call from Hailey’s doctor at Children’s Minnesota on the day of her father-in-law’s funeral.
"She said that they had found leukemia and that Hailey was going to need another bone marrow transplant. And I can still hear Hailey’s screams and cries from the back seat. No, I’m not doing this again," said Lisa.
Hailey was just 10 years old at the time.
"That girl is the biggest warrior and fighter you have ever met. She turned her mindset around and was like cancer picked the wrong girl," said Lisa.
Power of music
Dig deeper:
"Music has always been a way that Hailey communicates. I mean, I have videos of her like with my mom at Christmas banging on stuff, singing Jingle Bells," said Lisa.
However, even Hailey did not know what music would truly mean in her life until she had the opportunity to write her own song.
Hailey said one of the most powerful tools in her battle against cancer was music therapy.
"Getting to make my own song with all the words, I got to have that power and control and I didn’t get to have much power and control over my health," said Hailey. "It helped save me."
Thanksgiving reunion:
FOX 9 captured the moment Hailey reunited with her music therapist, Erinn Frees, on Wednesday. This was the first in-person meeting since Hailey left inpatient care two years ago.
"I thank you so much for everything you’ve done for music therapy and for me and for my journey," said Hailey.
The duo performed the song they produced together that helped Hailey fight and heal from within.
Frees said Hailey wrote the lyrics to the song they titled, "Cancer Sucks."
"I just want to be like all the other kids. Cancer sucks, let me tell you why. Cancer sucks. It’s okay to cry. Just wanna go to school, play with my friends. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh when will this finally end? I just wanna be a kid. This isn’t the lift I want to live.
"What an honor that kids trust me to help them tell their story and to help them contain their feelings," said Frees.
"You’re tired, you’re scared. You can’t do anymore. You just want to give up. But you got to keep pushing. And show cancer who’s boss," said Hailey.
What's next:
Hailey said she is doing well and has regular follow-ups with her care team every four weeks.
She also wrote a letter to hospital leadership making a case for a dedicated space for music therapy.
Hailey also has a big milestone birthday coming up. She will officially be a teenager this Saturday when she turns 13.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from interviews with Children's Minnesota staff and patients.