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Music therapy helps grieving kids after Snow Patrol donation to cancer charity

Katy Fyfe harmonises with Michelle Wooderson, Cancer Focus NI music therapist
Katy Fyfe harmonises with Michelle Wooderson, Cancer Focus NI music therapist Katy Fyfe harmonises with Michelle Wooderson, Cancer Focus NI music therapist

A CANCER charity is providing music therapy to grieving children and young people thanks to a donation from hit band Snow Patrol.

The rock band, who are playing at the SSE Arena in Belfast tomorrow, made the big-hearted contribution to Cancer Focus Northern Ireland after its last major gig in the city.

The charity has used the money to buy instruments including steel and samba drums, ukuleles and a thunder box.

Its music therapy service will enable young people who have lost a close family member to express their feelings and improve their emotional well-being.

Belfast teenager Katy Fyfe lost her dad Tony to oesophageal and liver cancer nine months ago. The 14-year-old, who is studying music at GCSE and plays the ukulele, piano and guitar, finds music a valuable outlet for her pent-up emotions and helps take her mind off her sadness.

She said: "I think music therapy is a really good idea, music is so relaxing and can express a lot of what you are feeling."

Cancer Focus NI chief executive Roisin Foster said music therapy was a new venture as they didn't have any instruments previously.

"Young people...don’t have to be able to play an instrument to be able to get a lot from the work we do with them. I don’t think we could have used this donation any better,” she said.