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Post aneurysm 'Allison's Brain' rehabilitated with help of music

After a brain aneurysm, Allison Woyiwada lost her speech, her memory and her motor skills. But, in spite of it all, she still had music. Today we broadcast the remarkable story of "Allison's Brain," a documentary by the CBC's Julie Ireton.
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A brain aneurysm nearly ended Allison Woyiwada's (right) lifelong relationship with music. But in the end, her husband Bob (left) and their daughter Maya say her remarkable recovery is being credited to music therapy.
"...the second she started playing everyone's heads turned."

After Allison had brain surgery to fix an aneurysm, she could not speak but much to her family's surprise, when wheeled up to the hospital's piano... the musician began to play. 


 

Around age nine, Allison Woyiwada was given a gift that would change her life ... a piano. 

Soon she would be performing at church and for friends in her home town of Portage-La-Prairie, Manitoba.
When Woyiwada emerged from surgery she was still suffering from a brain injury and had several impairments. (Supplied photo)

Allison earned a Bachelor of Music ... became an opera singer, a composer and for about 30 years, she taught music to thousands of students at Hopewell Public School in Ottawa. In fact, a wing at the school bears her name.

But in May 2012, Allison was suddenly threatened with the possibility of never playing music again.     

In September, the CBC's Julie Ireton brought us the story of Allison's journey from loss to recovery. Her documentary is called "Allison's Brain." 

Cheryl Jones worked closely with Woyiwada using music therapy to help teach her how to speak again. (Julie Ireton/CBC)

Last week, Julie received a Gabriel award for this story.

Also, as they mentioned, Allison and her husband Robert have told their story in a book of the same name. At this year's national independent book awards, "Allison's Brain" won the Award of Excellence in the Inspiration category.

Find out more about Allison's book at her website: Allison's Brain.
 

Has music helped you or a loved one recover from surgery?

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