JoyRx Music Launches Live Services in New York City:
Program Brings Music to Pediatric Hospital Bedsides 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Brooklyn, N.Y. (Jan. 7, 2025)— JoyRx | Children’s Cancer Association is honored to announce the expansion of services in New York City with the launch of live, bedside music programs for children at The Brooklyn Hospital Center on October 30, 2024, and the Children’s Hospital at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University on November 20, 2024. JoyRx Music is a free program that brings trained JoyRx Music Specialists into pediatric settings, providing in-person music activities to support psychosocial well-being, while sharing moments of joy and connection with seriously ill children and their families.

Though Children’s Cancer Association has offered its flagship JoyRx Music program since its founding in 1995, the launch of services in New York City represents a milestone moment for the Portland, Oregon-based organization. “For thirty years, we’ve seen what happens when you harness the universal power of music to help children facing serious illnesses and going through treatment,” says Jack Pipkin, JoyRx CEO. “We’re grateful to the teams at The Brooklyn Hospital Center and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University for investing in the healing power of music with us and bringing JoyRx into the hospital rooms of New York City kids who need joy.”

Typical JoyRx Music interactions include personalized, curated experiences that best suit pediatric patients’ current emotional states, desired moods, and engagement levels. Children can request a song, sing along, participate in music lessons, or borrow an instrument to play along. They might dance and sing or may simply lean back, listen, and rest.

"Music influences clinical and medical settings, especially for children facing extended hospital stays or challenging treatments,” explains a December article regarding the launch from the Office of the President at SUNY Downstate. “It reduces stress, alleviates pain, boosts mood, and improves overall well-being. JoyRx Music harnesses this potential through its innovative, patient-focused approach. Together, we are creating moments of joy that leave a lasting impact on children and their families.”

On the first day of the program launch, Gabby, a JoyRx Music Specialist, visited rooms in the inpatient and PICU units at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, playing songs for children who requested musical moments. She ended the day playing music for infants in the NICU, and in future weeks will continue visiting these units in addition to the Children’s Health Center. At SUNY Downstate, JoyRx served children in the inpatient and PICU units, with plans to expand to the Dialysis Clinic in future sessions.

"TBHC is so excited and honored to be one of the two NYC pilot locations,” says Taylor Brower, Child Life Specialist, Pediatrics, at The Brooklyn Hospital Center. “After being a digital live partner for the past year, I knew our patients and families would love having JoyRx in person. JoyRx has been a fantastic resource for our small child life program and Gabby truly brings the joyful and healing power of music with her when she visits patients in our pediatric unit, PICU, NICU and Children’s Health Center."

Both The Brooklyn Hospital Center, and SUNY Downstate Health Services University have aimed to offer outstanding health services, education, and research for decades, to impact health and wellness in the diverse communities they serve. Given JoyRx’s goal to meet the emotional needs of every seriously ill child in the United States, these are strong partnerships: with all three working together, it sets the stage for expanded services in NYC.

“Both launches were great!” said JoyRx Music Specialist Gabby of the expansion into Brooklyn. “I got to see so many kids, and the hospital staff were very welcoming and excited for the program. As a music specialist, opportunities like this remind me of the power of connection, laughter, and music.”  

Since 1995, JoyRx has delivered joy and emotional support to young patients through free-of-charge transformative programs rooted in music, mentorship, and nature. In October, the organization realized a milestone fiftieth healthcare partnership launch (one of eight New York area partners), and has a regional office in Austin, Texas, in addition to its Portland headquarters and presence in New York City.  

Last fiscal year, JoyRx programs served nearly 40,000 seriously ill children and teens nationally, a 33 percent increase year-over-year, setting a new organization record. JoyRx is committed to expanding services to reach diverse populations of seriously ill children, helping to champion the importance of emotional well-being in healthcare settings.

This New York expansion of JoyRx Music was made possible, in part, by The Taft Foundation. The Children’s Cancer Association intends to leverage findings from these initial two Brooklyn sites to better adjust, expand, and facilitate the continuation of live JoyRx Music services in New York City, and across the nation. 

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Photos of JoyRx at The Brooklyn Hospital Center launch can be found here. Additional photos about JoyRx and its programs can be found here. For media inquiries or more information about JoyRx, please contact: press@joyrx.org

A Mission Built on Joy | About JoyRx

Children’s Cancer Association was founded in 1995 by the Ellis family after their five-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died of cancer — with the goal to create something extraordinary: an organization with a new vision for what pediatric cancer support services might look like.

Each year, our free JoyRx Music®, JoyRx Mentorship®, and JoyRx Nature® programs are shared with approximately 40,000 seriously ill children, teens — and their families — across the nation.

Our trauma-informed programs are based on research and best practices, aligned with Child Life Specialist goals, and are informed by family feedback. We work closely with care teams to provide engaging enrichment activities that help transform the pediatric experience.Simply put: joy makes sick kids feel better. Learn more about JoyRx programs.