Riley critical care doctor plays the violin for a patient's family

A Riley Children’s Health doctor used music to connect with a family in the cardiovascular intensive care unit.

Dr. Tina Schade Willis said she built a connection with a family that had been on the CVICU for quite some time. They bonded over their shared appreciation for music.

For Dr. Schade Willis, music has been a lifelong passion. She went to college on a music scholarship and currently plays with the IU School of Medicine orchestra.

When the patient’s mother asked her to play for them, the physician said yes despite the fact that she had never played in a hospital environment.

“It was probably just as meaningful to me for me to do that for them than it was for them to ask me to do that,” she said. “Taking care of a critically ill child is probably the biggest gift a family could ever provide to you. We are so lucky to be in someone’s life to be able to do that. I feel like every day I have the best job in the world because I feel so rewarded to do what I do.”