Minnesota Girl Finds Courage to Fight Cancer Through Music Therapy
- cyoung93
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Hailey began her transplant and cancer journey at age 7 and has spent years in and out of hospitals. Her mother, Lisa Heiden, can still hear Hailey’s screams from when they got the official cancer diagnosis when Hailey was just 10 years old.
"That girl is the biggest warrior and fighter you have ever met. She turned her mindset around and was like cancer picked the wrong girl," said Lisa.
Power of music
Hailey’s battle with cancer was tough on her, not only physically, but mentally as well. Enter: music therapy. Music therapy helped Hailey vocalize her thoughts and helped her process and understand her feelings around her diagnoses. Lisa says music therapy saved Hailey’s life.
Hailey also cited music therapy as one of the most powerful tools in her battle against cancer. However, even she did not know what music would truly mean in her life until she had the opportunity to write her own song.
"Getting to make my own song with all the words, I got to have that power and control and I didn’t get to have much power and control over my health. It helped save me." - Hailey Heiden
FOX 9 captured the moment Hailey reunited with her music therapist, Erinn Frees, the day before Thanksgiving of 2025. This was the first in-person meeting since Hailey left inpatient care two years prior.
"I thank you so much for everything you’ve done for music therapy and for me and for my journey," said Hailey. The duo performed the song they produced together that helped Hailey fight and heal from within. Frees said Hailey wrote the lyrics to the song they titled, "Cancer Sucks."
"I just want to be like all the other kids. Cancer sucks, let me tell you why. Cancer sucks. It’s okay to cry. Just wanna go to school, play with my friends. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh when will this finally end? I just wanna be a kid. This isn’t the life I want to live."
"What an honor that kids trust me to help them tell their story and to help them contain their feelings," said Frees.
"You’re tired, you’re scared. You can’t do anymore. You just want to give up. But you got to keep pushing. And show cancer who’s boss," said Hailey.
What's next:
Hailey said she is doing well and has regular follow-ups with her care team every four weeks. She also wrote a letter to hospital leadership making a case for a dedicated space for music therapy.
This article contains information originally published by Fox 9 and the Children's Minnesota Foundation.
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