Carolina Strong: Grandmother turns to music for healing after battling cancer

CHARLOTTE — Many people in our community are touched by cancer, and while chemotherapy and radiation are often the treatment, one Charlotte woman is showing that music is her healer.

Sarah Chambers is living in her new world, unburdened by the pain she once felt in her battle against breast cancer. After a routine mammogram in 2021, she got the call from her doctor.

“She said, ‘Sarah, I have some bad news,’ I said OK what is it? She said it’s cancer,” Chambers told Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz.

She was diagnosed with stage 2 before undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy, then surgery, and weeks of radiation. With the support of her family and friends, she won her battle in about six months.

Then, the anxiety crept in, and she went back to her doctor.

“She explained to me what was going on, that the anxiety is coming from because there’s nobody around you anymore, everybody’s gone, you don’t have to come see us anymore [for treatment],” Chambers said.

To battle her anxiety, she started music therapy lessons with Atrium Health’s healing arts program. That’s where she met Maddie DePriest, and they made an immediate connection.

“My life is instantly better for knowing her,” DePriest said. “She is a joy, she just lights up the room when she walks in.”

For the past two years, they’ve been creating music together. Chambers writes the lyrics herself, DePriest helps with the rhythm and the chords.

Doctors may have cured her cancer, but Chambers’ strength and healing is clear through her songs.

“I have nothing else to be but happy. I’m here, I’m still here!” Chambers said.

Music therapy is just one free service provided by the healing arts program at the Levine Cancer Institute. It’s available to patients and survivors.

Chambers says she plans to write six more songs before releasing an album, proving that anything is possible at any time in life.

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Carolina Strong: 7-year-old and her music therapist share a name and a special bond

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