Arlon Bennett and the Healing Project
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Ron Olesko and Arlon Bennett in the studio of WFDU-FM during a 2012 appearance, before Arlon went public with his diagnosis.
The official diagnosis of Parkinson’s came in October 2010, but Arlon shared this news only with his family while keeping up appearances to others that he was fine. Slowly, he began telling close friends and in November of 2013 he appeared at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference (NERFA) where he officially announced “The Healing Project.” At the conference, Arlon organized and hosted a showcase called “Mind Healing Songs from the Heart” with a number of performing songwriters whose lives had been touched in some way by neurological illness (ALS, MS, PD, etc). Each performer shared a song about their story and the result was uplifting and therapeutic.
The Healing Project’s goal is quite simple – share music and have a good time doing so. What seems like a simple act is much more complex. By performing and learning to control the stress, Arlon is helping himself heal and in turn the audience experiences music that inspires their own healing in the community atmosphere of he performance. Arlon is also building awareness of what Parkinson’s is and is not, and hopefully clearing up misconceptions.
Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Cells in the portion of the brain that produce dopamine slowly start to die off effecting the motor system. Each individual experiences different sorts of symptoms. Aa the disease progresses, there can be issues related to thinking and behavior, and dementia becomes common in advanced stages. Again, it bears repeating, every individual is different. There is no known cause of the disease, although some studies are investigating links with chemical toxins, most notably certain types of pesticides. While there is no cure, progress is being made with treatments and research, including stem cell research.
By walking on stage and sharing his songs, Arlon Bennett and the Healing Project are setting examples and inspiring others. There is a sense of optimism that has always been part of Arlon’s songs, and now that optimism has become the needed medicine that is part of his treatment.
I urge readers to learn more about the work Arlon is doing with the Healing Project by visiting a website he created for this effort – www.thehealingproject.net. Below is a link to Arlon’s recent appearance on my radio show where he shares his story as well as some of his wonderful songs with his band. The Healing Project is something we can all learn and benefit from. As Arlon says in one of his songs, this truly is a “World of Possibilities,” and we can be the change we want to see in the world.