An Altona mother who lost her young daughter to cancer five years ago has found some solace through music therapy.
Laurel Parkinson’s daughter, Isobel, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as an infant and battled the cancer for about a year.
“I was a musician in the past and then I met somebody and we ended up getting together and starting a family,” she said.
“Everything was really good and we were actually arranging for our wedding and then my daughter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.
“She was two when she was diagnosed and I had a six-month-old son.
“When I was in hospital, she had these music therapy sessions. I saw how much joy she got out of it. I don’t know, you can’t even explain; it was just amazing. That’s what inspired me to be a music therapist.
“After she died, I went through devastating grief and just terrible, terrible things and then I kind of picked myself back up.”
Ms Parkinson is halfway through her masters in music therapy degree at Melbourne University’s Conservatorium of Music.
Her course includes research into the effects of music on children with autism, on adults with brain injury, teenagers with anorexia and the elderly with dementia.
“This year, I have to write a thesis and the subject I’ll be researching is the benefits of songwriting with an older person with first-stage dementia,” Ms Parkinson said.
From February 1, she takes up a Sunday residency at Williamstown’s Customs House Hotel, playing acoustic sets from 2-5pm.
She’s also recording a CD with her band, Laurel and The Painkillers.
For more information, visit the Laurel Parkinson page on Facebook.
