Harmony for Hope Joins The Wet Sprocket and Smashmouth On Tour for Rock the Research Benefit

Harmony 4 Hope (H4H) is a newly established Chicago based non-profit using music to uplift children, contribute to external scientific discoveries in rare disease and call people to action for this critical cause.

Worldwide there are 350,000,000 people collectively suffering from approximately 7,000 Rare Diseases. Half of these people are children and 95% of these rare genetic conditions have NO FDA approved treatments or cures. The vision of H4H is to tap the inherent power of music to heighten awareness for this cause.

In recognition of World Rare Disease Day, February 28, 2014, H4H launched its’ signature Play This Forward Campaign – designed to collect iTunes Gift Cards and older music technology to be repurposed and delivering uplifting and inspirational music to children and families facing the tremendous challenges of living with rare disease. To date, the grassroots organization has delivered close to 100 repurposed devices reaching as far as the Netherlands.

“The beauty of this initiative is not only that we are able to deliver to sick children a little joy in the form of music, but that we are calling people to action with the opportunity to host our Play This Forward Collection Drives. Better yet, we are engaging community youth in the collection, preparation and delivery of the devices. And even better still, we have a few young musicians who have donated their recordings to our cause. This is really good stuff for both the rare disease community and musicians as well!”

In addition to delivering recorded music to children, H4H has also hosts high energy live music events geared for adult audiences. These Rock The Research Concert Benefits are designed to create an audience and deliver this important message about Rare Disease. Proceeds from the events are designated for external scientific advancements in rare disease. Jesse Malin & The St. Mark’s Social, Trapper Schoepp & The Shades along with several local bands have been instrumental in this rock and research mission.

In collaboration with GreenNotes, H4H will join Toad The Wet Sprocket this summer on their tour with Smashmouth and Tonic. In their mission to turn up the volume for Rare Disease H4H will be present at Milwaukee’s Summerfest on July 5 and Aurora’s RiverEdge Park on July 10. The H4H Rockstar Photo Booth will have plenty of rockstar giveaways & ultra cool photo ops along with a receptacle for donations of iTunes gift cards & gently used personal music devices.

Toad The Wet Sprocket drummer, Randy Guss concludes,

“Harmony 4 Hope Founder, Kerry Hughes reached out to share with me the overwhelming number of people impacted by rare disease and her vision of creating a robust voice for this critical cause through the power of music. Individually a disease may be rare but collectively the number of people impacted is hugely significant. AS SOMEONE WITH A RARE DISEASE (OSTEGEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA) I LOVE being a small part of a very large community of those touched by rare diseases. That’s what makes Harmony 4 Hope a special opportunity for me.”

Jul 10 River Edge Park, Aurora, IL