Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

Healing Through Singing

A FEW weeks ago, a news report by a local TV news channel in North Dakota filmed three years ago was reposted in You Tube and Facebook, catching the attention of people all over the world and putting another Filipino in the spotlight.

In an exclusive Asian Journal interview, Filipino nurse Dominic Limpin talked about his unique nursing style that has been reportedly helping patients heal fasterand better—through the power of songs.

Joyce Nyland of North Dakota was told by doctors that she only had a few months to live. She was depressed and told the hospital nurse who took care of her while in dialysis three times a week, Filipino Dominic Limpin, that she was dying. Dominic listened sympathetically and began to instill hope in Joyce, reminding her that there is a next life and we must never fear but just trust God. Dominic also began singing to Joyce during her hours of treatment.

An accomplished choir singer, Dominic’s outstanding voice and cheerful, loving personality filled the room with hope and peace and Joyce began to respond well.

After three weeks of treatment, Joyce told Dominic,"You gave me hope. Idon’t want to die. I’ve got so much to live for." She later told her son that she almost didn’t want to leave the hospital anymore; and there’s a nurse in the hospital who sang to her every time and gave her hope. It turned out that the son, Joey, had connections with NBC News. Soon after, NBC’s local channel in

North Dakota—KVLY News 11—called up the Director of Nursing in the hospital and said they wanted to interview Dominic.

"Ithought Iwas in trouble. Inever expected they will feature me in the news," shared Dominic. To the surprise and delight of people around her, Joyce Nyland recovered and was discharged from the hospital. The segment was aired last Feb 2007 and the news channel gave Dominic a DVD copy of the segment.

Sometime after that, Dominic went home to visit his family in the Philippines.

"Nagkaroon kami ng planning noon for our grand high school reunion this coming December 2010. Pinakita ko sa mga classmates ko yung DVD. One classmate borrowed the DVD and uploaded it in You Tube. Since then, many other news media picked up the story. But it wasn’t until two weeks ago when someone from ABS-CBNreposted the segment on Facebook. The response has been tremendous- over 100,000 hits and growing everyday. Ihave been contacted by Filipinos and Pinoy organizations from around the world—like Germany, Denmark, the Middle East, US, and Asia—telling me how inspiring my story is, how proud they are that Iam Filipino," said the surprised "Singing Nurse."