Cancer survivors honored through music at South Coast Plaza art installation
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Pamela Madsen, a Laguna Beach resident, composer and music professor at Cal State Fullerton, thinks of her journey as a breast cancer survivor in terms of music.
“As a musician I write music to engage empathy in the audience, and to make people feel emotion,” said Madsen, 68. “Emotions of grief, healing, joy and recovery. I try to create this impactful music that really resonates.”
Madsen composed an original piece, called “Let Me Not Mar That Perfect Dream,” for a City of Hope Orange County art installation at South Coast Plaza. She said the piece is based on a poem of the same name by Emily Dickinson.
City of Hope Orange County and Pacific Symphony are honoring local cancer survivors at the “Music of Hope” interactive public art installation at the mall, now through June 18, during National Cancer Survivors month. Pacific Symphony pianists will be performing live on a blue grand piano amid the installation in the Jewel Court.
The performances are open to the public. They are taking place from 3 to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., this weekend, bringing melodies of hope and survival to the community. The installation also features slips of paper which visitors can place on “wishing trees” to encourage cancer survivors.
“Everybody knows somebody,” City of Hope Orange County President Annette Walker said. “I think that’s why we get such a strong response of people wanting to write something. They were themselves a survivor, or they know somebody.”
Those interested can also call (626) 218-4056 to share words of hope or hear messages from survivors and supporters
Madsen first was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, and it returned in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. Her four-minute composition has three parts, signifying the sadness of being diagnosed, finding peace and daring to dream again.
She said she has undergone a double mastectomy, further surgery and has been on hormone therapy for the last several years. At this stage, Dr. Irene Kang of City of Hope Orange County is doing genetic research to see if there are any new treatments.
“My dream was to combine my work as a composer with healing,” Madsen said. “My music had been doing that, and I’m now connecting it to City of Hope.”
This is the fourth year that City of Hope has partnered with Pacific Symphony and South Coast Plaza for the Music of Hope exhibit.
According to the American Cancer Society, for the first time, 70% of Americans diagnosed with cancer are now surviving at least five years. There are more than 18 million cancer survivors nationwide.
The earlier that cancers are caught, the more positive the outcomes. For example, the survival rate for a Stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis is greater than 99%, according to Cancer Research Institute.
“People tend to put things off,” Walker said. “[They say], ‘Oh yeah, I know I’m supposed to have my mammogram.’ Then they forget about it, they get busy, and pretty soon another year has gone by. I was the same way before I worked at City of Hope. Now, I’m very diligent.”
