JULY AUGUST 2017 BUZZ Magazine

ROCKS THE CURE: HEALING WITH MUSIC
By Pam Wills and Constance Hilton
Photos by Colin Ward
Rocks The Cure, a charity that uses music therapy to benefit
pediatric cancer patients and their families, held a
fundraising concert at downtown St. Petersburg’s Jannus
Live on June 9th. Supporters turned out in droves to enjoy
great music and to help this worthy cause.
Ken Jewell, founder of Rocks The Cure and lead vocalist of the
band The Outpatients, saw a way to help after the band
performed at a charity event for breast cancer research. “We
thought it was very cool that we were helping to raise money
to fight cancer and we were doing it through music and having
fun and we were doing it for a good cause.”, Jewell explains. “I
knew I wanted to start an organization that fought cancer and
after doing research of the different kinds of cancer it came to
down to the kids.” Jewell further explained that pediatric
cancer receives the least amount of funding for research;
indeed only 4% of the total dollars raised for cancer research
goes toward pediatric cancer.
“Everyone in the band is very supportive of this cause and we
like that we are the ‘music face’ of Rocks The Cure!”, Ken said
as his band was preparing to headline the Jannus Live event
after opening act Yacht Rock Revue.
Rocks The Cure plans to host similar events every three to four
months to raise awareness in many different communities.
Families who need their services can contact Rocks The Cure
directly through their website at https://rocksthecure.org/
or their Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/rocksthecure/
Rocks the Cure is two years old and is already making a
difference. With money raised through events like this one at
Jannus Live, they have donated to pediatric cancer research
concerns and have provided families with both financial assistance
and the emotional support they need in difficult times.
Says Jewell, “The community is amazing! Many people come
to us as volunteers and a have lot of great ideas!”
Even though Rocks The Cure doesn’t work side by side with
any particular hospital, they are open to working with many.
“We’ve been in touch with [Johns Hopkins] All Children’s
Hospital and United Healthcare.” Jewell said.
For Ken Jewell and the other members of The Outpatients,
music is their passion. As such, they knew going in that the
focus of the organization would be music therapy. “We offer
group therapy and play music. Plus we sometimes have
national acts come and play, such as Sister Hazel.”
BUZZ MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST 2017 17