Meet Maddison Grigsby, our featured volunteer from Dallas!
Get to know our volunteers!
Do you volunteer at a specific hospital? I volunteer at Children’s Health Dallas
How long have you been volunteering with Musicians On Call? …maybe 3-4 years?! Can’t recall!
Are you a Volunteer Guide or Volunteer Musician? Musician
What is your favorite song to play for patients? Can’t Help Falling in Love
Have you ever been part of an impromptu jam session with patients or family in a hospital room? We’ll go off-script sometimes, but I don’t know about an actual jam session. 🙂
Do you perform anywhere else besides with MOC? Every once in a while! When I lived in Nashville I played a lot, but now it’s just here and there. 🙂
What is your occupation outside of MOC? Marketing
Do you have any hidden talents? Songwriting
What is your story? What connects you with music and why do you volunteer with MOC? For me, music is like breathing – it’s natural, it’s a part of me. It gives life to my soul; makes me come alive. I volunteer with MOC because I’ve experienced the power of music, and seen how it can reach places in the heart that words cannot. Music moves people. It makes people feel. And I consider it a true privilege to have the opportunity to share that gift with others in need.For me, music is like breathing – it’s natural, it’s a part of me. It gives life to my soul; makes me come alive. I volunteer with MOC because I’ve experienced the power of music, and seen how it can reach places in the heart that words cannot. Music moves people. It makes people feel. And I consider it a true privilege to have the opportunity to share that gift with others in need.For me, music is like breathing – it’s natural, it’s a part of me. It gives life to my soul; makes me come alive. I volunteer with MOC because I’ve experienced the power of music, and seen how it can reach places in the heart that words cannot. Music moves people. It makes people feel. And I consider it a true privilege to have the opportunity to share that gift with others in need.
What makes MOC different from your other volunteer experiences? MOC is unique in that it allows me to share a gift that I’ve been given with others. I’ve been singing since I could talk – and to have the chance to use that gift for others and give back is really special. We’ve all been gifted in different ways, and MOC has allowed for a tangible opportunity to share something I have, and receive so much in return.
Has your life changed because of your experience with MOC? Perspective – when I walk into an MOC program, I know I will be changed from it. I see so many people who are struggling with health issues and sometimes don’t know how much more time they have, yet their kindness, warmth, energy, love, and resilience are abounding. It’s inspiring, and I realize how big life is, how much I have to be thankful for, and that so many things I worry or stress about don’t matter.
What is your favorite #MOCmoment? While volunteering in Nashville, I walked into a room to play a song for a patient who was not awake. I was trying to figure out what to play, and finally settled on one, uncertain of what the patient would want. The patient’s family member (mother, if I recall), who was standing at the patient’s bedside, was in tears at the end, as she said in disbelief, “That is MY favorite song.” It made me realize that this healing mission is not only for the sick, but also for the friends family members who are going through pain, grief, mourning, exhaustion, and discouragement. It’s meant for them, too.
