Denise Buyaky grew up in a musical family. Music has been her world since she was a child, with a father who had his own radio show.
"It just feels good, it's a human connection," she said.
Now, she is bringing music into her life at a time she needs most.
Buyaky, of Worthington, was diagnosed with uterine cancer and is now recovering from a hysterectomy at the James Cancer Hospital.
"Music is so healing," she said. "We're connected musically, there's a connection, I don't think anything else can fill that."
The music being piped into Buyaky's room on the 20th floor was made possible because of the Heather Pick Music Program, which quietly launched this year as part of the James Care For Life program.
Director Felisha Lyons says it's a new level of care playing out at the James that gives people a way to "escape" the reason why they are at the hospital in the first place.
"It’s what the James has always tried to create," Lyons said. "To offer the music the moment someone walks in the door and hear that, as well as go to any room, and turn on that channel, and hear that music. We know there's evidence that there's healing, people have less pain, better noise control and all those things that are important to a patient's ability to heal from the reasons why they're here.”
The Heather Pick Music Fund brings professional musicians to the lobby of the James during the noon lunch hour.
Money raised through the fund made it possible to stream the music directly to patients who are not able to leave their rooms.
The hospital hopes to one day offer music on-demand, on other floors and outdoors.
"My goal, my hope is to fill this building with music around the clock, that would be wonderful," Lyons said.
She also says having the connection to WBNS anchor Heather Pick elevates the music to another level.
"It's really nice to see people stopping and taking the time to enjoy the music and seeing her image right next to the performers, it's just a really positive reaction," she said.
Buyaky remembers watching Heather on 10TV in the mornings before the news anchor passed away from breast cancer in 2008.
"Often times you aren't psychically able to do the things you like to do. Heather, she couldn't anchor, so it's nice to impact people in another way, and now she lives on," she said.
A fund raising event for the Heather Pick Music Fund will be held December 4, 2015 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
It will be hosted by A Christmas to Cure Cancer and 10TV Morning News Anchor Angela An.
Click on the links below for more information.