麻豆果冻传媒

When a Lucile Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital Stanford nurse won a special guitar, he decided to gift it to the hospital鈥檚 biggest Ed Sheeran fan鈥搕he reaction to this full circle philanthropy was priceless.

For release: March 11, 2019

STANFORD, Calif. 鈥� When nurse Colin James won a guitar inscribed by musician Ed Sheeran in the Mix 106 Toy Drive drawing, he immediately knew he wanted to give the guitar to the hospital鈥檚 biggest Ed Sheeran fan, Kayano Lizardo-Bristow, a fifteen-year-old from Yuba City, CA who is undergoing dialysis while awaiting a聽kidney transplant at Lucile Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital Stanford.

For the past eight months, Kayano and his mom, April Bristow, have been living at the聽Ronald McDonald House at Stanford while he receives treatment for his chronic kidney disease. Kayano鈥檚 entire family, including his musician grandfather, helps keep his spirits up as he waits for the day when a kidney match is found.

As Bristow puts it, 鈥淚t has been a long tough journey with chronic kidney disease his entire life and finally getting to this chapter. It's tough on a 15-year-old boy to be so limited in extracurricular activities, visits with others and access to fun things.鈥� Although Kayano is able to go home some weekends and his dad and younger brother visit, she admits, 鈥淲e have been feeling extra homesick, more than ever lately.鈥�

Packard Children鈥檚 board-certified music therapist, Rebekah Martin, started working with Kayano a few months ago after a referral to the hospital鈥檚 music therapy program and learning of his longtime interest in music. Martin believes that music therapy and their weekly sessions together have played a large part in helping Kayano keep up a positive outlook during his time in the hospital.

鈥淎lthough it looks like we鈥檙e jamming out or 鈥榡ust learning guitar,鈥� we鈥檙e really working on so much more. Music is the medium through which therapy is happening,鈥� says Martin.

Kayano enjoys the music of Coldplay, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Dire Straits but his favorite musician by far is Ed Sheeran. He and Martin have been working on a Sheeran ballad, Perfect, breaking down chord progressions, harmonizing together and getting closer to mastering the melody. Having never had his own guitar鈥揾e always played his grandfather鈥檚 or mother鈥檚鈥揔ayano was recently surprised by an extraordinary gift from one of his nurses, Colin James, RN. James learned of Kayano鈥檚 love for Sheeran鈥檚 music and devised the surprise.

鈥淲hen Rebekah told me about Kayano鈥檚 passion for music and how it helps him cope with being in the hospital, I knew I had to give this guitar to him. He is going through a difficult time in his life and my hope is that it brings him a little joy,鈥� said James.

聽鈥淚 was sitting in dialysis with Mom, Dad and Rebekah, playing the [Ed Sheeran] song Thinking Out Loud,鈥� Kayano described. 鈥淩ebekah said, 鈥業 think we need a new guitar for this part.鈥� Then a few people walked in, Colin was carrying a guitar case. I was in shock, I was about to have a heart attack! I had a very emotional reaction. Everyone was tearing up. I played a song on the new guitar, I finished while I was crying.鈥�

The guitar is inscribed with the words 鈥�Play! Don鈥檛 display! Ed Sheeran.鈥�

Kayano Lizardo-Bristow, who is awaiting a kidney transplant due to chronic kidney disease, holds his Ed Sheeran-inscribed guitar, surrounded by nurse Colin James, his parents April and Brandon, and music therapist Rebekah Martin at Lucile Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital Stanford.

鈥淗e has wanted his own guitar for a long time, but we couldn't afford it. Kayano has been聽learning over the years, but actually never had a nice guitar of his own. He talked about having his own guitar all of the time.聽This is a great boost of inspiration and energy that we聽could both use right now!鈥�

Media contact:

Kate DeTrempe
kdetrempe@stanfordchildrens.org
(650) 721-8527