Young Man With Rare Disease Sings For Cancer Patients

A hospital can seem like a sterile and sometimes gloomy place, but one patient is lifting the mood at Duke Hospital with his own music. Music has taken the place of food for Dustin Chapman, 21, of Whiteville because he hasn't been able to eat or drink normally for months.

Chapman has a rare disease called Achalasia, where the esophagus muscles basically quit functioning. To cope, Chapman is using his talent to encourage himself and countless others who listen. A video shared on Facebook of Chapman singing and playing his original song "Lead the Way" on the piano at Duke inspired more than 3,300 shares within a few days.

Three years ago, Chapman's condition required surgery on his esophagus. For 18 months, he could eat anything he wanted, but now Duke doctors are trying different things to enable him to be able to swallow food and liquids.

"In 2017, all my problems started coming back," said Chapman. While he and his family wait for answers, Chapman found his best therapy was at one of the few pianos in the hospital. Chapman's performance at the Duke Cancer Center this month got rave reviews.

"I had cancer patients coming up to me, and they were just crying, and they were like, 'That was probably therapeutic for you, but we needed that just as much as you did,'" said Chapman. "It was very rewarding." Chapman is a music major student at Catawba College. He says he enjoys writing and performing his own gospel and country songs.

Sometimes, hospitals can appear like a cool and bleak place. There are illness and sadness all through the lobbies, yet there are additionally snapshots of expectation and confidence that sparkle directly through. 21-year-old Dustin Chapman is one of those sparkling lights. The use of a song in every situation gives us an amazing feeling that warms our hearts.

Dustin suffers from an uncommon illness called Achalasia, where the throat muscles don't work legitimately. Due to this condition, Dustin has not possessed the capacity to eat or drink legitimately for quite a long time. He is as of now a patient at the Duke Cancer Institute where they are taking a gander at attempting another procedure to help this young fellow on his way to recovery.

While he waits for his treatment, Dustin saw an amazing open door when he spotted a piano. This positive young fellow is additionally a gifted vocalist and musician. He really loves to play for others and offer them trust through his music. So today, Dustin chose to take a seat at one of the clinic pianos and play an excellent song he composed called 'Lead The Way.'

This incredible original song talks about handing it over to God in your time of need. Music can really be extraordinary compared to other dosages of medicine, particularly when it is utilized to applaud His name. What an incredible young fellow! It's really incredible to see Dustin sharing his song and bringing a smile to other people!