Local Caregiver Inspires Global Songwriter
Contact: Christine Hamacher
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel. 727/723-7532
Cell 727/692-0902
Email: christine@harmonyhh.com
Local Caregiver Inspires Global Songwriter
LARGO, Fla., November 10, 2011 – Inspiration comes in many forms. For a songwriter clear across the country, it came from an on-line article about a Largo woman with a heart of gold and a knack for generating tears and laughter simultaneously.
“The original article I read was about random acts of kindness and her words spoke to me,“ said Chad Harper, songwriter and founder of Hip Hop Saves Lives out of NYC. He immediately reached out and asked to meet her. As a fellow New Yorker, Linda Burhans was intrigued and happy to comply. She gave him a copy of the book she wrote (“Goodnight and God Bless”) in tribute to her mother and now the rest is history.
Several stories in the book captured Harper’s attention, including Burhans’ recount of taking her mother for chemotherapy treatments, cleaning her up when she got sick, and belly-laughing to old episodes of “I Love Lucy” afterwards. Another poignant moment was when Burhans found her mother staring at her hands, frowning because they were “old and ugly” and good-for-nothing. Linda held her mother’s hands in hers and reminded her that those hands washed a lot of clothes, scrubbed a lot of floors, washed her children’s faces, tied their shoes, and held all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “Those hands have wiped away my tears and also given me a whack on the behind when I needed it, “ wrote Burhans, “Think about it, Momma, those hands have done a lot.” In response, her mother’s frown turned to a smile and they went out for a manicure to treat those “beautiful hands.”
Burhans’ book detailed the last 14 months she spent caring for her mother who had stage 4 colon cancer and was just the beginning of Harper gathering stories from the staff at the local home health agency where Burhans works. “The team at Harmony Home Health was very helpful in providing a bigger picture of what family and professional caregivers do and how they wanted to celebrate those efforts,” said Harper. The common thread throughout all the stories was a sense of overwhelming concern and love for the person being cared for and how that can prevent caregivers from taking care of themselves properly. Harper decided that the best way to honor that sentiment was to write the lyrics of the song from the loved one’s perspective.
“The days the nights of sacrifice, it’s way too much for just one life, and still you do with more to share, please celebrate the strength of care. All my caregivers around the world today, It’s time to lift you up!
It’s time to celebrate! It’s time to give give give give…the love that you gave to our lives.”
With over 30 years of experience in corporate America, Burhans always stood out as a leader in her community. She focused her efforts on helping others improve relationships in 2002 by starting a non-profit organization called Professional Women Empower and then a global on-line movement to inspire others to perform random acts of kindness called “The Dave Game”. This was a few years before the time her mother came to live with her and her passion for caregiver advocacy began. Now, just 8 years later, Burhans is known throughout Tampa Bay as the go-to person for senior care support groups and workshops that motivate, uplift, and inspire caregivers from all backgrounds.
Burhans and Harmony Home Health are celebrating the completion of this song project with a special evening devoted to family caregivers on November 21st. Largo Mayor, Pat Gerard, will be on hand to sign an official proclamation recognizing November as National Family Caregivers Month in Largo, joining cities across the country who are following in the footsteps of the presidential proclamation that began in 1997. Burhans will speak on “Harmony in Caregiving” and how love, laughter and hope can be the strongest parts of the caregiving experience. The new song, “Perfect Harmony”, will officially be released to the public at this event and serve as an anthem for caregivers worldwide. (The song will be available for download on the Hip Hop Saves Lives website and profits will support a global charity.) Complimentary CDs of the song will be given away, as well as, opportunities for family caregivers to win Respite Care Awards for their loved ones. For more details, call 727-723-7532 or go to www.harmonyhh.com.
# # # #
Special Event: Harmony in Caregiving
(In recognition of National Family Caregivers Month)
An evening of celebration with proclamation, release of caregiver song, and speaker, Linda Burhans.
Monday, November 21, 2011 6:00 p.m.
~FREE to the public~
Harmony Home Health
13787 Belcher Road S., Largo FL 33771
RSVP (727) 723-7532
Contact: Christine Hamacher, Community Relations Coordinator
(727) 723-7532 or (727) 692-0902
christine@harmonyhh.com
Category: Positive PR's
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