It began when Lauren O'Brien was singing in front of 300 women.
These women had suffered from breast cancer or been connected to those with the disease.
“I could feel the love in the room,” Ms O’Brien said.
She wondered whether she could recreate the feeling on a regular basis.
From this, the D Majors choir was born.
The choir, whose motto is “music, fun and friendship”, performed on Saturday at the Music and the Mind symposium in Newcastle.
The symposium discussed the health benefits of music.
Ms O’Brien has seen the power of music in the D Majors choir.
Among those to benefit is Charlette McIntyre, who joined the choir shortly after it began five years ago.
She saw the choir perform at Wests Leagues Club, having been through chemotherapy and lost her hair.
“I cried. I thought ‘you wonderful brave women’.”
She soon joined the choir.
“I was nervous at first. But they made me feel so welcome. It’s such a lovely atmosphere,” she said.
“It’s enriched my life.”
A fortnight ago, Mrs McIntyre had a five-year check-up and was given the all-clear.
She cites the choir as a major factor in her recovery.
The choir will celebrate its fifth year with a lunchtime concert at Lizotte’s at Lambton on Sunday, May 20.
This concert is dedicated to the memory of four choir members: Ann Nolan, Yvonne Voorloop Abrahamson, Audrey Looney and Dineane Kinsey, but the choir will also be celebrating several members who have reached the magic milestone of five years cancer-free.
Every choir member has been touched by cancer in some way – as patients, survivors, health workers, family, friends and supporters.
Tickets for the concert are $35. An a la carte menu is also available for concert-goers.
