A year ago the Troina Festival "Tango 2006" was held in a small mountain town in Sicily to inaugurate fund-raising efforts for a music therapy program at the Oasi Maria SS Research and Clinic Center to benefit its autistic, Alzheimer's and Down Syndrome patients. Thanks to an International collaborative effort, today U.S. therapist Judy Kuo is conducting therapy sessions and training the team which will continue to improve the quality of life of these populations, and set the foundation for future International joint-research projects on the importance of music for the mentally and physically challenged.

"We've only started and are already see such a positive reaction in clients who have been clinically diagnosed as non-responsive" said Kuo, (MA) (MT-BC) (LPC) on leave of absence for this project from her post as Coordinator of Clinical Services for Older Adults at the Kardon Institute for Arts Therapy in Philadelphia. Continued Kuo who is a U.S. Board Certified music therapist, "...it is amazing how music immediately transcends cultural, language and behavioral differences, and I am happy for the opportunity to collaborate on such an important project for both the OASI patients and the training of its future MT staff ."

Ida Treccarichi, an Italian psychologist who is the Program Director of the project, said "...this is a perfect example of how different organizations, private companies, single citizens and government entities can come together to achieve a goal. It is important for us to show and prove that fund-raising benefits the entire community." Treccarichi is a partner of the Rome-based non-profit association, La Clessidra ONLUS, (www.laclessidraonlus.net) and coordinated support from the Troina Mayor's Office, musicians from the symphony Accademia Musicale Siciliana, artists Suisse Marrocain and sponsorships from local businesses. Proceeds from the festival and a tag-donation campaign only reached 30% of the funds needed, though matched by matched by the Oasi Foundation resources.

When financing from the Region of Sicily fell through, Pia Lima, President of a California firm, Odeta Kanipa Inc., solicited help from the U.S. and a private trust donated the remaining funds in the name of Gary Bender, a 7-year old victim of Alexander's Disease whose family has supported music and dance therapy for Down Syndrome patients for over thirty years.

"Thirty-six people have started the therapy sessions thanks to this collaboration, and we will continue to implement campaigns, ask for donations and seek grants to maintain long-term financing for the Oasi program." Ms. Lima, consultant to La Clessidra ONLUS, added "as an American who works with many non-profits in Italy, I know the wealth of experience the U.S. fund-raising culture can give local organizations who are trying to help serious education, medical and culture projects in under-developed and troubled regions such as Sicily."

The Oasi Research and Clinic Center (www.oasi.en.it) was founded in 1953 by Father Luigi Ferlauto to help the disabled with mental retardation, it now serves over 5,000 patients a year as the Sicilian regional reference center for the "prevention, diagnosis, treatment, habilitation, rehabilitation and research in genetic pathologies associated with mental deficiency and senile cerebral involution, including Alzheimer's disease, and pathologies in co-morbidity and/or complications-caused derivatives". It is the only official research center (IRRC) in Sicily. It also is one of the largest employers of the area, counting a staff of over 1000 in an area where employment is difficult.

"Many U.S. companies and foundations are willing to donate resources and funds to specific International projects" says Lima, "but we're looking to help people who help others by teaching them how to get what they need by helping themselves – difficult in a culture which has relied solely on government funding in the past. Our project partners have to pull their own weight by matching any financing."


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