MESA, Arizona – The healing power of music will expand for young patients at Cardon Children’s Medical Center with the opening of Sophie’s Place, a 600-square-foot music therapy room that is the first of its kind in Arizona.
Sophie’s Place will open March 30 on the third floor of Cardon Children’s, located at 1400 S. Dobson Road.
This is the nation’s third Sophie’s Place music therapy room built inside a children’s hospital, and it includes state-of-the-art space for music therapists to offer group and private music therapy sessions. There is also a recording studio, listening station, practice room, and the ability to collaborate with universities such as Arizona State University in training and hosting music therapy interns.
“This will greatly expand our music therapy program, and help us offer even more individualized, creative care that can be life-changing for our young patients with a chronic illness or serious injury,” said Olivia Houck, music therapist at Cardon Children’s.
Barb and Steve Young, former Hall of Fame quarterback, partnered with Banner Children’s at Cardon Children’s Medical Center, in opening the Forever Young Foundation’s newest initiative, Sophie’s Place. Similar rooms have opened in Utah and California. Banner Health Foundation raised additional funds through fundraising galas, including Stars of the Season and The Pulse of the City Soiree, as well as gifts from individual and corporate donors.
As Sophie’s Place rooms have opened in children’s hospitals, medical experts have increased music therapy prescriptions for their patients after witnessing the scientific health benefits of this treatment, according to Steve Young.
Cardon Children’s Medical Center provides comprehensive pediatric care to children of all ages. Services include emergency care, a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, general pediatrics, surgical and rehabilitation services, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, pediatric critical care, nephrology, hematology/oncology, urology, gastroenterology, neurology and outpatient services.