Message From Ricky Phillips of Styx On Massage for Children

From Ricky Phillips Blog: April 2006

Hey gang,

Just got home and have the week to catch up on household chores before heading out again. I just received a pic of a visit Tommy and I made to Children's Hospital in Dallas this week. It was a great day and we were able to visit 5 floors and go into special wards where kids were fighting for their lives from various circumstances. Some were hooked up to tubes and machines and others were only days away from being able to leave but all were so hopeful and positive in what would appear a dire setting. The kids made Tommy and I feel like we'd walked into one of the most uplifting and rewarding environments imaginable. About a year ago I met a women by the name of Wendy Smith, in Dallas who had helped introduce therapeutic massage to the healing process at Children's hospital. They have found that an average of 5 days is taken off the extended visits that these kids are forced to spend in these facilities. It also gives them a sense of empowerment as they can say,"Not today" or , "a little to the left"...or whatever, in a place where they have little control of anything in their fragile lives. She has had both sides of the experience and has ushered some of the little ones into the next life with the soothing compassion of human touch.

For a year now we have been trying to hook up the timing of our travels with a visit to the Hospital. Its hard to explain but this hospital has children's murals on the walls, musical instruments, games, colorful rooms where some of the kids are allowed to bring their bedspreads from home and a staff that loves these kids to pieces. We were a big hit, not so much because of who we were but because we brought them Styx hats and Styx scarves that could be tied into pretty cool Do-Rags for their shaved heads! One little girl had been having a particularly bad day as they often do from treatment and medication. It makes their little lives miserable. Turns out she's a huge Tommy Shaw fan and her favorite song is Renegade. She thought she was dreaming when we came in her room and literally trembled with glee while gazing up at Tommy. It was a magical moment and although there were other similar experiences throughout the day, this alone would have made it worthwhile. Of course, they have all been invited to party like a Rockstar at the next Styx show as soon as they get out.

So gang, be thankful for what you've got . There are a lot of little ones out there who would love to trade places with anyone of us on the outside. To walk down the street, smell the smells outside of a hospital room, ride a bike, take a drive, go to school or just being able to play with other kids is a distant dream.