Music Is Medicine

Music is Medicine (MiM) was born in the summer of 2008 when sisters Leora and Ariela Friedman recorded an album of original songs for a group of hospitalized kids in Baltimore. After falling in love with the project, Leora wanted to grow Music is Medicine into a movement of musicians who use their music to give back. Therefore, with a team of classmates, she developed the organization while studying at Princeton University from 2010-2014.

Now, Music is Medicine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with ties to musicians and hospitals across the United States. In 2011, Music is Medicine launched its Donate a Song project by pairing Emmy-nominated singer/songwriter Drew Seeley with 13-year-old cancer patient, Brooke. After meeting Brooke via Skype, Drew picked up his guitar, put pen to paper, and wrote “Fly” for her. “How do you smile when you don’t want to? How do you laugh when it’s easy to cry?” Drew sings in the song’s chorus. The music video for “Fly” has collected over 180,000 views on YouTube. Donate a Song not only inspires pediatric patients but also shares their strength with the world.

In 2012 and 2013, Music is Medicine produced three more songs for child cancer patients. Through Donate a Song, Music is Medicine has also motivated artists across the globe to see their music in a new, socially impactful way. One artist wrote to us saying: “Music is my everything. It inspires me to want to help those in need. I want to be that person to help them to be stronger and confident in themselves.”

Music is Medicine is currently run by a team of passionate, determined students and young professionals. The artists and patients we work with drive everything that we do. They make us believe in a better world, and it is our goal to use music to make that better world a reality.