Being a great big sister has a special set of requirements. It takes patience, effort and lots of love to fulfill these qualities, but for 6-year-old Hayden, this role was the most important and the easiest.
Hayden was referred to Kids Rock Cancer to help guide her through the creation a song honoring her little sister, Natalie, who was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor at the age of 2.
Natalie underwent extensive treatment for two years before passing away in late 2016.
“It has been a tough year for the family, but despite this loss, Hayden continues to talk about Natalie and share fond memories of her little sister, so beautifully expressed in her song,” writes Tracie Sandheinrich, Kids Rock Cancer’s senior music therapist. “As you can imagine, feelings of grief can be rather difficult for such a 6 year old to describe, but she sang her little heart out about it.”
Writing her song, “Big Big Sister,” with Kids Rock Cancer at Mercy Children’s Hospital provided a gateway for Hayden’s feelings and offered a way for her to cope with the loss of her little sister.
Tracie continues: “She said, ‘I wish she could come back, but I know she can’t. But I know she would really like my song. I loved being her big, big sister.'”