From Musician Treatment Foundation, this month's Get Involved spotlight organization:
About
TheMusician Treatment Foundation was founded in 2017 with the primary mission of helping uninsured and underinsured professional musicians access essential orthopedic care for their shoulders, elbows, and hands at little or no cost. Common shoulder, elbow, and hand injuries and problems that don't prevent most of us from continuing to work can stop musicians from making music, making a living, and supporting their families. The foundation helps with surgical and nonsurgical care through itsPhysicians for Musicians network of skilled orthopedic surgeons to keep the music playing for us all.
Musicians bring beauty and song to the world, but the majority cannot subsist from just making music and many live below the poverty line. When they lack health insurance or what they have is inadequate, a musician's prospects seem dim in the face of the costs of specialized orthopedic surgery, the time away from playing for recovery, and the loss of income throughout. Without help or insurance, an injury -- whether from accidental trauma or repetitive stress -- can easily mark the end of a musician’s career. The Musician Treatment Foundation strives to identify musicians in need, physicians willing to provide care at no cost to the musicians, and funding to cover the related costs, such as anesthesia, devices, equipment, medicine, and surgical facilities. Professional musicians who need help with care for shoulders, elbows, or hands may contact MTFhere to see if we can help.
We also educate musicians, both amateur and professional, about upper limb injuries through our blogs and ourMusician Monday series featuring our family of artist supporters who have shared their stories of injury, healing, and how they were able to keep the music playing!
The Musician Treatment Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by renowned orthopedic surgeonO. Alton Barron, MD with a Board of Directors that includes acclaimed artistsElvis Costello andDiana Krall, Dean of Dell Medical SchoolClay Johnston, MD, and other prominent professionals in the business, literary, media, and music industries. Since inception MTF has helped deliver care valued at over $1.3 million.
How You Can Help
We are all beneficiaries of the universal healing power of music and MTF helps to heal professional musicians when they are injured and cannot afford the care they need. We need your donations, large and small, individual and corporate, so we can KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING! Click here to donate today.
MTF believes in a world that cares for its musicians regardless of their ability to pay. We work synergistically with other nonprofits in the music world such as Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), SIMS Foundation, Sun Radio Foundation, and Underwater Sunshine Fest to help financially challenged professional musicians access the orthopedic care they need for their shoulders, elbows, and hands. You can help by spreading the word about MTF to musicians and music lovers alike. Learn and share more about the care that MTF offershere.
We also support MTF-healed musicians through online spotlights as well as opportunities to hear their music in-person and virtually. Together we bring music, care information, and inspiration to needful musicians and other underserved communities. Support musicians and MTF by attending one of our events here.
If you'd like to stay up to date on what's new with MTF please visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter here or follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter.
