Dear Diane,
As a family we want to sincerely thank you for helping Steve transition from this life with your soothing music and loving attention. Your calm and easy going manner fit right in and you were always ready to please, accommodating our diverse range of musical taste selections.

Steve looked forward to your visits and always slept more soundly because of the relaxation your music provided for him. After he took his last breath a vision of my daughter, niece and I holding hands singing “O Holy Night” as you played was the beginning of our healing.

You have a special gift to share and we were so fortunate to have been connected to you at this time in our lives. Although this cannot repay you for what you have done, I am enclosing a check to help lower expenses with the hope that other patients can be as blessed and touched by your talents.
August 2007  (original below)

July 17, 2007

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

RE: Diane Schneider, J.D., Ph.D

It is my distinct pleasure to write this letter of support on behalf of the harp vibration therapy provided by Diane Schneider, J.D., Ph.D. Dr. Schneider has previously conducted research in the Mayo System and now serves on our Palliative Medicine Consultative Service in Jacksonville, Florida where she has received praise from patients, families and the staff of St. Luke's Hospital.

With our patients, Dr. Schneider's work is well-tolerated and successful in addressing symptoms related to anxiety, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, agitation, dementia, depression, grief, and a variety of conditions with emotional components. In essence, she has developed a protocol for sequencing harp vibrations which can improve symptoms in critically ill patients and those at end of life. This therapeutic intervention is individualized to the patient's history and condition, and is not presented merely as entertainment. Patients, family members and staff consistently express their desire and appreciation for this modality. It is an effective adjunct to medical treatment, and is particularly well-received even by seemingly reluctant or skeptical patients.

Additionally, I would look forward to research in this fertile ground of holistic therapies which acknowledges the whole person and whole family as the unit of care.

Sincerely,
Robert P. Shannon, MD
Assistant Professor, Family Medicine
Program Director, Palliative Medicine
Mayo Clinic
4500 San Pablo Road
Jacksonville, FI 32224