A Short Story…

 

Making a difference one note at a time but let’s talk first…

 

Fifteen months ago, we received the dreaded news, the kind making you cold and boiling mad at the same time. Its cancer, it’s aggressive and it will make you think about how the Chemotherapy and radiation is going to make you nauseous, tired and utterly alone. But…

 

Like so many other families around the world decided where science fail, love will succeed. And where fear holds us prisoner, hope will set us free.

 

My mother of 61 was diagnosed with HER2 Positive breast cancer and as such needed treatments not covered by conventional medical aids. Many medical aids have been sued over the issue of “Herceptin”, a treatment necessary for HER2. This treatment is advised above and beyond the normal treatment and suddenly the cost started to sky rocket. It is hard to stay hopeful under circumstances beyond your means. But…

 

As a musical family we made music our cure and answer for our many questions. My brother, a prolific pan flutist in South Africa and me, singer songwriter Steven Sterling decided that music is going to pave the way and give us beauty. We contacted “The Cancer association of South Africa (CANSA) and made an alliances. We told them we would like to be apart of their national Run-Walk for Life, Relay for Life and Shavathon. It was at our very first event that we saw many cancer survivors doing a lap of honour, walking hand in hand and celebrating being alive and well. Wow! It blew us away and knew that if we can write a song about this it would certainly inspire many more people to take hands and stand against a world disease. It takes only one domino to push the rest but it takes the rest to make the whole picture.

 

“Take my hand” was released on national television on the annual “Shavathon” CANSA event in March and the entire cause driven album was released at the end of July 2009. The long wait was worth it in the end as the album boasts fifteen tracks in English, Afrikaans and instrumental making it a universal album for anyone around the world. As part of our endeavour we donate a portion of the profit to CANSA and making sure that cancer patients around South Africa get a message of hope through captivating music.  As young boys we were told to always play the rainbow and finally we could play it for people weathering many storms. Our story is however not about the CD but about the power, grace and undeniable passion that music evokes in each of us. Though melody and lyric we can communicate as if we are afraid of nothing. Take a hand, stand together and lets share a tale of overcoming the odds through the wonder of music and the power of caring for each other.

 

We made music because we had to drown out the sorrow, hurt and despair. “Take my hand” is a song for my mom, a song for many mothers and fathers, a song for you and for families, encouraging us and making us believe in miracles.

 

Love, hope, faith – forever

 

Steven Sterling

Wow, it's finished. Amazing experience. Please check it out on YouTube. Check for link on my site.

Peace ,love

Steven

Short Blog:

Both Ryan and I are very excited to be on the HomeBrew show for a live interview on K-FM 94.5.

Cape Town, youare the first city to get the first exclusive interview. The CD is for a worthy cause, so listen out and join us.

Let's be inspired
Steven