I’m Julie Reed.  I’m 17 years old and about to enter my senior year of high school in Brooklyn, New York.    I would  like to talk about my experiences in the dance therapy program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

I am so thankful to the Andrea Rizzo Foundation for the wonderful support I received in the dance therapy program, Dréa’s Dream, as a patient at MSKCC this past year.  I was diagnosed in December 2006, at age 16, with a rare sarcoma of the liver.  After undergoing major surgery, I was treated with chemotherapy from January until June 2007.   The protocol was extremely aggressive and intense and much of the  time, I  felt very sick, both from the surgery and the side effects of the drugs.

Having studied dance for many years, it was very hard for me to just lie around in bed, feeling sick, and being unable to participate in the kind of classes I loved so much, like ballet and modern dance.

I really didn’t know much about dance therapy, but one day, during one of my
early in-patient stays, the dance therapy team, led by Suzi Tortora, showed up
in my hospital room.   They were all so friendly and warm that I felt a bond with them right away.  I wasn’t feeling at all energetic, but their enthusiasm was contagious, and within moments of their arrival, I got up out of bed, which was no easy task, and participated in my first dance therapy session.  My mom, who is not a dancer,  was invited to participate and joined us.

We went around in a circle and everyone contributed some movements to express how they were feeling.  During that one session, we danced through our anxiety, fear, anger and were able to find a relaxed state for both mind and body.  It was so much fun and such a release.  From that day on,  I always looked forward to Suzi  or Jocelyn coming to dance with me.

Any family member who was with me was always invited to participate and
boy, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen my father  do dance therapy. These
women were able to interact with him, without  laughing which is more than I could say for myself.  They are truly amazing!

Even when I couldn’t get out of bed, these wonderful women were able to transport me out of the hospital, into the sky, the ocean, a sandy beach, wherever my fancy would take me that day.  We used some of my favorite songs to break out of that room and soar.  I was able to find a calm place to be after their visits and that state would stay with me for a long time.

Dance therapy made all the difference in getting through my treatment in good spirits which was so important. I believe that even though this illness happened to me, my life has been greatly enriched by meeting these wonderful, caring, talented dance therapists.

Please do all you can to enable other young people to benefit from this program the way that I did.  It has honestly changed my life.

Thank you very much.
Julie

My son Jason Lacchini is a patient (neuroblastoma) at Sloan. He began treatment in January 2005. His first experience with Jocelyn Shaw (dance therapist) was a day I will never forget. He was hungry and cranky and Jocelyn walked in all gowned up with her drum and music. The next minute he dancing, jumping and happy. He loves when Suzi and Jocelyn come to play music with him. They are both special people and dedicated people. Thank you for all of the wonderful work you have done to put them in our lives here at Sloan. May God bless you.

I am impressed with the love and energy that all of you have put forth to create the Andréa Rizzo Foundation.  I think that by keeping her dream alive, you have kept her alive and you are amazing!  Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help. My husband is also a survivor of cancer so I know that we are both passionate about your mission.

I would like to thank you for the wonderful dance therapy program that you have founded at Sloan-Kettering.  As a paremt of a child with neuroblastoma and undergoing the 3f8 anti-body treatment, your program has been a great help.  I think that the work that Jocelyn Shaw and her associates do is a God send and it is incredible how their (dance therapy) activities distract and help the children deal with their pain.