On Monday, October 9th, Yoli Alvin, AAFH President, delivered an acoustic Yamaha guitar to a teen boy receiving chemo treatment at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Jose Hidalgo, who goes by Alex, completed his gift request in late September with assistance from Music Therapist, Rachel Epley.
Alex relapsed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on August 1, 2017, and has been going to Lurie Children’s Hospital for regular treatments accompanied by his Mom, Ana Negrete. Alex, currently in 8th grade, has a 5-year old brother and lives with his family in Addison, IL.
As his Mom commented, this gift was just what Alex needed to lift his spirits in the face of the challenges ahead. Alex enjoys listening to music and really wants to learn to play an acoustic guitar. When Alex is admitted at Lurie’s, he borrows a guitar for his hospital stay and is very anxious to go home to practice his new guitar.
We are grateful to present Alex and other young patients with musical instruments in Alyssa’s memory.
