Nike, the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) and top furniture designer Herman Miller teamed up to design “the world’s coolest music cart,” which brings medicine through music to children’s hospital bedsides.
The Music Rx® cart provides a one-of-a-kind experience, including 100 musical instruments, song writing software and a video screen. The ergonomically designed cart combines cutting edge design with music technology and interactive tools to improve the hospital experience for young patients, their families, friends and the hospital staff.
“This is a special day. Two of the world’s best known brands have combined their talents in design and engineering to help seriously ill children and their families,” said Founding Board Chair of the CCA and Nike executive Clare Hamill. “It's the start of something big. With help from sponsors, donors and hospital partners, the Music Rx® music carts can start bringing joy to children at hospitals throughout the country.”
More than a year ago, Hamill contacted former Nike Creative Director of VTT & Equipment Ed Boyd about involving Nike in the design effort. Boyd assembled a team of volunteer designers and engineers from Nike’s TechLab, which conducted many user observations at Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital and Doembecher Children’s Hospital, and created plans for a cart in collaboration with the CCA team based on children’s attraction to technology and interaction. Herman Miller designers assisted in the fabrication and final engineering of the cart.
Many hospitals and organizations like CCA offer patients, especially children, music because of its proven healing power. Music helps ease the stress and fear that comes with being away from home and battling life-threatening illnesses.
“Herman Miller and Nike agreed to the possibility of creating something special and amazing and good for the world,” said CCA Founder and CEO Regina Ellis. “When people link arms and work together and share, incredible things can happen.”
Nike’s involvement continues as it makes improvement designs to the current carts and others that will be deployed as the MusicRx program goes national, beginning in Los Angeles.
Music Rx® started with one part-time music therapist and has grown to a multi-faceted program that includes three music therapists, a therapeutic specialist, a music thanatologist and 50 volunteers. It serves thousands of children and families each year at five Portland-area hospitals and care facilities, and 24 pediatric units with volunteer musicians in hospital corridors, the interactive cart, and on-call musicians.
The Portland-based Children’s Cancer Association provides seriously ill children and their families with programs and services not offered by other organizations. Learn more here.
For more information on Herman Miller, visit www.hermanmiller.com.