Our Mission
• To be the recognised charity in the Bournemouth-Christchurch-Poole locality that provides support for people affected by Cancer by means of community choirs that realise the healing power of music.
• To be a beacon of good practice that offers a means of regaining confidence, health and wellbeing to complement rehabilitation during and following treatment for cancer.
• To “spread the magic” of the power of music for health and wellbeing.
Some 50% of the population in the UK will be affected at some time in their life by cancer – whether as a patient or carer - or through bereavement. With better detection and more effective treatments, cancer survival rates are increasing. This is good news. Nevertheless, a cancer diagnosis has a powerful impact on people’s lives over and above the purely medical issues involved.
Uncertainties concerning the short, and long-term impact of the various forms of cancer are not all of these are strictly medical – many such needs can be addressed by a range of community-based supporting services. The fundamental strategy of Rising Voices Wessex is to be a recognised, established part of these services.
There is a need for better support resources in the community that complement medical care and follow up.
There are well known associations between music and health - physical, mental and spiritual. Singing is recognized as having benefits for specific conditions, including cancer, neurological disorders and dementia. Being part of a choir also combines the benefits of singing with being part of an empathetic community that is a further benefit to those who take part.
The focus of the choirs is to support people affected by cancer and their carers to regain their confidence and directly stems from the key principles defined through the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (2008-12)
Rising Voices Wessex aims to become that local, sustainable community resource that provides support and recovery for those affected by cancer.
Our Strategy aims to plan our development for the next three years from where we are now and where we would like to be.
