Sophie's Place Opens to Inspire Young Songwriters, Singers and Musicians at Renown Children's Hospital
July 15 2024 - 7:38PM
Today marks the grand opening of Sophie’s Place at Renown
Children’s Hospital which is supported by The Forever Young
Foundation, founded by Barb Young and her husband NFL Hall of Famer
Steve Young, and designed by Anne Marie and Kent Barton (Sophie’s
parents). The Forever Young Foundation has supported the
development of eight Sophie’s Places across the United States. The
opening at Renown Health is the ninth Sophie’s Place location to
provide music therapy to young people in children’s hospitals
across the nation.
Two years ago, on June 5, 2022, over 500 generous donors
attended a benefit concert by The Beach Boys with front man Mike
and his wife Jacquelyne Love, both Nevada residents; and special
guests Steve and Barb Young, to help Renown Health Foundation raise
a remarkable $1.2 million to construct the first and only Sophie’s
Place in Nevada.
Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals celebrity
ambassador Steve Young has helped raise over $1 billion to lift up
children’s hospitals around the nation. The Forever Young
Foundation established Sophie’s Place in 2013 in loving memory of
Sophie Barton, a young musician with a passion for helping others,
who passed away in 2010. Sophie served and played her guitar at
Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah. Sophie's Place was inspired by
Barb Young, a close friend of the Barton family and an avid
believer in the science of music therapy. Her passion and
commitment were crucial in bringing this specialized care to the
many pediatric patients and their families served by Renown
Children’s Hospital.
“At Renown, we recognize the profound impact that music can have
on the healing process,” says Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President
& CEO, Renown Health. “We are grateful to Steve and his wife
Barb Young, the Forever Young Foundation, Mike and his wife
Jacquelyne Love and The Beach Boys and hundreds of community donors
for this incredible gift for the region’s only Children’s Hospital.
We are excited to see, and hear, how kids will sing, play, dance
and create in this new space. We will continue to create a healing
environment within our hospitals to support recovery and enhance
health and happiness.”
Barb Young says, “Research has proven that music therapy fires
the synapses to help create new neuro-pathways to replace those
that have been damaged. It increases oxygen-saturation levels,
alleviates pain, eases anxiety and depression, assists in fine and
gross motor skill development, and so much more. We are honored to
partner with Renown Children’s Hospital as we share with you the
building of our newest Sophie’s Place space, a music-therapy room
which will bring hope, healing and harmony to the children being
treated in this special CMN Children’s Hospital.”
Sophie’s Place is fully equipped with musical instruments and
games for both children and music therapists to use, allowing
patients and their families the opportunity to relax and socialize
outside of the hospital room. The space also includes:
- Room for individual
and group music therapy sessions
- Opportunities for
patients to record their music
- Separate practice,
recording and editing rooms
- Microphones
- Performance
space
- Comfortable
seating
- Musical memorabilia
and artwork
“Child and family-centered care is fundamental to all of us at
Renown Children’s Hospital, which means we understand that
comprehensive pediatric medicine goes beyond the clinical aspects,”
says Kris Deeter, MD, MBA, FAAP, Chair of Pediatrics, UNR Med and
Physician-in-Chief, Renown Children’s Hospital. “Providing our
young patients and their families with therapeutic experiences goes
hand in hand with the excellent care provided by our physicians,
nurses and clinicians. Renown has a team of Child Life Specialists
who support this holistic manner of providing care, and Sophie’s
Place helps create an environment that supports treatment, recovery
and well-being. Together, music and medicine can work in harmony to
heal the body, mind and soul.”
Steve Young shared, “through Sophie’s Place, Sophie’s heart
continues to beat on.”
“Sophie’s Place is an example of what happens when our community
comes together to invest and imagine in all that is possible,” says
Greg Walaitis, Renown Health Foundation Chief Development Officer.
As a charitable, not-for-profit organization we rely on the
generosity of people like Steve and Barb Young, Mike and Jacquelyne
Love and The Beach Boys and the many generous donors who helped us
raise the funds needed construct this new music therapy room at
Renown Children’s Hospital.”
For more information about supporting pediatric care at Renown
Children’s Hospital, visit renown.org/Foundation.
- Sophie's Place Opens at Renown Children's Hospital
Renown Health Public Relations
Renown Health
775-691-7308
news@renown.org