Virtual Conference description:
A two-day symposium celebrates the ‘voice essential’—from fundamental utility in communication and connection, to metaphor, culturally and socio-politically, as in the voice of a generation or the voice of the people. Independent and collective voices hold profound poignancy in our expression of illness, or in maintaining wellness, and within the constructs of the world we are facing today. Clinicians, artists, and healthcare providers will share their expertise of voice-work across a myriad of entry points providing pragmatic and visionary themes to benefit practice and research on the voice: from it’s cellular to social implications in recovery, resilience, and reconciliation. Attendees including musicians, music therapists, creative arts therapists, physicians, nurses, fellows, residents, social workers, chaplains, child life specialists, and anyone subscribing to the power of the voice will glean critical insights from two days of culminating presentations, and workshops.
Keynote Speaker: Bill Brummel
Bill Brummel's bio:
Bill Brummel is an award-winning documentary producer/director. He and his films have been recognized with a Peabody Award, two International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards, five national Emmy nominations, and been named to an Oscar shortlist. After having his voice box removed in 2016, Brummel produced and directed “Can You Hear My Voice?”. The film chronicles London’s Shout at Cancer choir, whose singers are also living without voice boxes. Many of Brummel's previous films have focused on civil rights and human rights issues. Some of Brummel’s other credits include Selma-The Bridge to the Ballot, Erasing Hate, Blood Diamonds (Emmy nomination), Rwanda-Do Scars Ever Fade? (Peabody Award, two Emmy nominations, IDA award), Viva La Causa (Oscar shortlist), Bullied, Inside Pol Pot's Secret Prison (IDA award, two Emmy nominations), Opus Dei Unveiled, Civil Rights Martyrs, Standing Tall at Auschwitz, Child Warriors, The Greensboro Massacre, Inside North Korea, and The Ku Klux Klan: A Secret History. After finishing the film “Can You Hear My Voice?”, Brummel has become a sought-after speaker on the psychosocial issues of cancer survivorship, especially head & neck cancers. As a 24-year cancer survivor and after 6 years speaking with a voice prosthesis, Brummel tells his cancer story and addresses the stress, isolation, and despair that often accompanies the disease - and he does so with empathy, compassion, film clips, and a little bit of humor. Brummel has given keynote speeches, presentations, and participated in webinars for cancer support and advocacy organizations, medical universities, hospital groups, and professional clinician organizations. A partial list includes the Society for Integrative Oncology 2021 conference, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, the Livestrong Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, the International Association of Laryngectomees, the Head & Neck Cancer Alliance, the Cancer Support Community (Pasadena), and HNC Support International. More events are on the calendar, including ones for the Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, the Seidman Cancer Center/University Hospitals Cleveland, and the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASC) 2022 conference. The California Speech, Language and Hearing Association recently announced that Brummel will be receiving their 2022 Distinguished Consumer Award at the organization’s 2022 Celebration of Excellence on March 25.
Visit vital-voice.org for Virtual Conference details
