"Heartworks" Gallery
Kavi & Yash
Making Music with Michael
Keystone Kids Camp
Music Adds Life to the Party
Music to Soothe the Spirit
Sydney's Song
"Here's to Life"
"Alleluia"
A Dancer's Renaissance
Kavi & Yash
Sydney's Song
Keystone Kids Camp
Artist Trading Cards
A Blessing For Marybeth
Charlie's Chair
Lasting Impressions
John's Art Legacy
Anna's Bracelets
A Caregiver's Collage
Keystone Kids Camp
Marilyn's Harp Soothes the Spirit
In coordination with the Creative Arts Therapies program, community musicians and artists often volunteer their talents to benefit hospice patients.
Marilyn Lemke visits Keystone House weekly with her harp and goes room-to-room offering harp music to bring enjoyment and comfort. She plays requests for favorite songs or hymns, sometimes using her intuition to offer music that patients might find soothing. By paying attention to the patient’s breathing and response, Marilyn acts as a medium through which healing music flows. Some patients and families find the harp music helps to lighten the mood and offer a positive focus introducing small moments of joy into a room.
Marilyn started playing the pedal harp when she was 10 years old but it wasn’t until she retired from teaching elementary school that she purchased a small harp with the idea of playing to hospice patients. She soon became aware of the bedside harp program, a new type of therapy founded by a local Bucks County woman and, after undergoing training, Marilyn became accredited as a hospital-certified Bedside Harpist.
In 2003, Marilyn took a leave of absence while she was dealing with a new diagnosis of breast cancer. Once her treatments were over, she returned to make her weekly rounds, feeling her experience had deepened her level of understanding and enhanced her willingness to be more open emotionally. She is also more mindful of paying attention to her own needs, through reflection, dream work, aromatherapy and balancing her volunteer work with travel and being with friends. We are grateful to Marilyn for her commitment to provide our patients with the gift of music and for her gentle, compassionate presence.
