Dr. Jennifer Arnold and 13-year old Peyton Richardson, a patient at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, recently collaborated on an exciting new project – they wrote and recorded the powerful lyrics to their new song in the Purple Songs Can Fly studio.
Purple Songs Can Fly is a unique program that provides a musical outlet for children being treated for cancer and blood disorders at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers. In this program, which is the first of its kind, the children work with founder, Anita Kruse, and other professional composers to write and record their own songs. In an in-house studio at Texas Children’s, composers work with children and their siblings to write, record, and burn songs to disc within short session.
“Having gone through cancer myself and being a patient here at Texas Children’s, I had heard about Purple Songs Can Fly, but as an adult, I never thought about trying it,” said Arnold, the medical director of Texas Children’s Simulation Center. “When TCH asked if I’d like to sing with Peyton, I was 100 percent on board.”
Their song titled, “A smile and a thank you to you,” delivers a strong message that despite going through a tough time like battling cancer, it’s important to always keep a positive attitude which is only possible by drawing from your inner strength and the love and strength of those around you.
“Both Peyton and I wanted to share the appreciation of our loved ones in our song,” Arnold said.
Watch The Little Couple tonight at 8 p.m. on TLC to watch them sing their song.