Making a Difference: Harmony Hope

Group is using music to help brighten the moods of children with cancer

Children fighting cancer often have days filled with treatments or sickness. 

One group is looking to add music relief to those tough times.  Harmony Hope has joined with two North Broward Prep students to make a difference.

Max Lopez, 14, has a brain tumor and is undergoing radiation therapy.  Now he is taking his first trumpet lesson with tutor Brenna Vaz, and is enjoying it.

"I've always loved music since I was little," says Lopez, "I'm really lucky that someone would take the time to teach me how to play the trumpet, and show me my errors and how to fix something to get a great sound."

Lopez would like to play trumpet in a mariachi band someday. 

Francesca Inocentes has been playing violin for 9 years, for the past year she's been tutoring  5 year old Leah Alhadeff.

"I think part of the reason she likes the violin is because on one of our hospital stays there was a young lady that came and played music for us," said Leah's mother Marisel.

Leah's leukemia is in remission and she's enjoying the lessons. 

"She's just starting to really like the violin, she's starting to play rhythms and learn about how to hold the instrument,"  Inocentes says.

The musicians are all part of Harmony Hope."It gives me an unbelievable spiritual high like none other," says director Kristi Huddleston.  "I love these cancer children and I love being able to help them."

If you would like to make a difference also, Harmony Hope is looking for more music teachers and sponsors.  Click here if you want more information.