Seniors Andrew Leonard and Yoosang Park alsong with junior Janet Lu accepted a Health First Exceptional Performance Award of Customer Service given by Holmes Regional hospital, on behalf of all the volunteers of MusicMd’s at a ceremony April 16.

The MusicMd’s is a volunteer organization, in which local high school and college musicians volunteer their talents to promote patient healing in hospitals. Inspired by music therapy, MusicMd’s actively assists in the healing process by providing live, one-on one musical performances and engaging dialogue to individual patients, families and medical staff in hospitals.

“When I get to have those interactions with patients and have conversations with them, not only do I know I’m making their day better, it gives me personal fulfillment,” said junior Hannah Lagenbach, who plays the viola.

Started by West Shore alumni, Varun and Esha Bansal, in the fall of 2009, a number of West Shore students continue to join the volunteer organization. Currently, the school’s members also include seniors Jerry Sola, Zachary Zoorgian, Sophia Nguyen and Alice Chan,  juniors Iksha Handa, Dylan O’Bryan and Evan Courtney, sophomore James Leonard, and freshman Haley Alvarez-Lauto.

“I got to know people from West Shore better,” Lagenbach said. “I was able to bond with Yoosang because we played duets together. I also got to meet other kids from other schools through preforming duets with them as well.”

The MusicMd’s also has given students experience in leadership positions. Lagenbach is the recruitment officer, and Park is the master scheduler and music librarian.

“It [MusicMd’s] taught me organizational skills, time management, being able to communicate verbally and non-verbally with other people and knowing the intricacies and nuances of an organization,” Park said.

The MusicMd’s won at the individual level of awards, and has been extended another invitation for an award.

“MusicMDs is invited as an honoree to Health First’s Walk of Fame Gala Celebration at Port Canaveral Cruise Terminal on May 16, 2018,” said Radha Bansal, the director of MusicMd’s.

Lagenbach said the organization has given her many fond memories after almost two years of volunteering.

“After I played for a this one patient, the family members thanked me and told me ‘He’s on his death bed, and you gave him a happy lasting memory before he passes on,’” she said. “The fact that I knew I gave someone a pleasant final memory before they were going to pass on was nice.”