Liverpool Philharmonic musicians collaborate with cancer hospital

The Liverpool Philharmonic has announced its music partnership programme with Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust. The year-long collaboration will provide interactive sessions and performances online and on site at the cancer centre’s three hospitals.

Funded by donations to the Trust’s dedicated charity, the collaboration aims to improve the health and wellbeing of patients going through cancer treatment at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s three sites across Merseyside. 

Sam Wade the centre’s arts coordinator, said: ‘This is an amazing investment in the mental health and wellbeing of our patients and our staff. We know that the arts, whether that’s music, painting, poetry or theatre, can help to distract and entertain patients as well as helping them express themselves at a stressful time in their lives.’

Providing opportunities for entertainment, creativity and social connection for those going through cancer treatment, the initiative aims to improve mental wellbeing as well as training staff in the improvement of patients’ overall health can be improved through music.

Peter Garden, executive director of performance and learning at Liverpool Philharmonic, said: ‘Our team and musicians have been working with the NHS using music to support patient and staff wellbeing for 14 years […] we are thrilled to be extending this work to improve the wellbeing of patients going through cancer treatment and the wonderful NHS staff supporting them.’

To celebrate the partnership, Liverpool’s Clatterbridge Cancer Centre hosted a performance in the hospital atrium by some musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for an audience of staff and people waiting for outpatient appointments