A few years ago, Ladysmith residents took part in the filming of Megan McNeil’s “The Will To Survive” video and became part of her fight against childhood cancer.
The song raises money for the James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research and the British Columbia Childhood Cancer Parents Association and carries on McNeil’s fight after she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 20.
And it wouldn’t have gotten far if it weren’t for music therapy.
Ryan McMahon, who helped McNeil arrange and record “The Will to Survive” in 2010, saw first-hand the importance of music therapy, and now he and his new band, the lion the bear the fox, are raising awareness and money to support music therapy on Vancouver Island.
“Megan’s ‘Will to Survive’ song, video and entire campaign wouldn’t have seen the light if not for music therapy,” says McMahon. “So there’s the first-hand relation for me. I can only imagine what having music at one’s fingertips would mean to someone suffering from an illness of some kind. Music heals the soul … it’s been proven.”
When the lion the bear the fox performs on Vancouver Island as part of its We’d Be Good Men EP Release Tour in support of Music Heals this week, the band will donate partial proceeds from each show toward its Bandwagon Project.
Bandwagon is the world’s first mobile recording studio designed specifically for use by music therapists, and it contains microphones, instruments, a computer, recording software and more to aid therapists to work with patients. Currently, there is one stationary Bandwagon at BC Children’s Hospital and one that travels around Greater Vancouver for six-week residencies.
The lion the bear the fox wants to raise $10,000 to bring Bandwagon to Vancouver Island hospitals and care centres for the first time.
The band launched the Bandwagon Project in early September and has been raising money at shows since embarking on its We’d Be Good Men EP Release Tour Oct. 8.
The tour comes to Vancouver Island this week, and the lion the bear the fox performs Thursday, Oct. 17 at Char’s Landing in Port Alberni; Friday, Oct. 18 at South Island House Concerts in Victoria; Saturday, Oct. 19 at a house concert in Ladysmith and Sunday, Oct. 20 at a house conert in Nanaimo.
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, McMahon, Evan Miller and Kendall Patrick will perform at Ladysmith Secondary School in support of the Bandwagon Project.
To learn more about the project, click here.
For concert details, e-mail info@mmgrp.ca or text 250-668-3338.