Giving the Gift of Music to A Blind Adoptee
When little Caley Pham was born blind 11 years ago, it seemed like life was going to present more than a few challenges. Not only was she incurably unable to see, but she was also immediately adopted, as her birth mother couldn’t care for her.
But Caley is resilient.
With an energetic lust for life, she’s thrown herself into every single music lesson her parents, Stephanie and Long Pham, have offered since she was six years old.
A Love of Music
Back then, Caley started by learning the piano, relying on her senses of touch and hearing instead of sight.
Soon after her first lesson, Caley’s teacher told Stephanie and Long about a nonprofit called Fostering Muisc that could potentially cover the lessons as a therapeutic outlet.
But Fostering Music did more than cover the lessons. We also bought her a weighted keyboard so she could practice at home on a device that feels like a real piano.
“I would have never in a million years thought to get a six-year-old a weighted piano,” Stephanie says. “I’ve been going to her lessons for nearly five years now, but that’s never something that would have crossed my mind. It’s really helped her develop!”
Immersion In Music
Music has always been a critical outlet for Caley, and Stephanie and Long have committed to giving her hours of music lessons each week to support her behavior and growth.
On top of the 45 minutes she spends with an instructor paid through Fostering Music, she also spends:
One hour in a piano lesson with a different instructor so she can experience another perspective and approach
One hour of voice lessons
One hour of music therapy
Caley loves the immersion. “She thrives off music,” Stephanie says. “I think that because of her blindness, that’s just who she is… She does open mic night at the music studio once a month, and she always looks forward to it. She sings her max three songs she’s allowed, otherwise she’d do even more!”
Music Impacts All of Life
The gift of music hasn’t just been life-changing for Caley; it’s intertwined with who she is. “She has a positive behavior support plan within her Individualized Education Program and music. Even before she started taking lessons, music was woven into her support plan to get her motivated and help her stay on task from one activity to another.”
Five years later, Caley is thriving.
All thanks to music!
Donate to Fostering Music
You can help children like Caley access free instruments and music lessons as well. Donate today! You can make a one-time donation or commit to monthly donations. Use the link below to get started: