Woman sings effortlessly in hospital video Shock as teacher who lost ability to speak finds voice

An inspiring video of a woman struggling to talk before breaking into a faultless rendition of a Beatles song will be used to help strengthen calls for singing to be prescribed on the NHS.

Amelia-rose Hamilton, who started suffering hemiplegic migraines two weeks ago, leading to temporary speech difficulties, can be seen in her hospital bed confused and unable to speak properly.

But in the emotional film clip, shot by her former Canterbury Christ Church University tutor Professor Grenville Hancox, she sings Yesterday trouble-free.

The 27- year- old, who runs choirs through the Canterbury Cantata Trust for people with Parkinson’s, says it was an incredible moment.

“Grenville had just come from choir and had his guitar so we decided to put it to the test,” said Miss Hamilton.

“It felt like my brain fog had evaporated. The difficulty and confusion was melting away - there was a clear path.

“I knew what I wanted to sing and how to do it.”

Primary school teacher Miss Hamilton, from Staplehurst, first met Professor Hancox when she was a selective mute, caused by a severe childhood trauma.

Through music and singing, he was able to get her talking again - something she hadn’t done for 12 years since the age of eight.

“I call him my Bach-father instead of my godfather,” she said. “With singing, rhythm and pitch you use a different part of the brain, the motor neurone cortex, which is why people with Parkinson’s can walk at a good level pace when they sing or hear music.

“Music should be used as therapy, not as a cure, but an aid to boost someone’s wellbeing. It can improve you mentally, physically and spiritually.”

Miss Hamilton, who suffers from Ehlers-danlos syndrome, which affects connective tissue in the body, is supporting a campaign by Professor Hancox for singing to be prescribed on the NHS.

Last year he launched an online petition calling for the govern- ment to acknowledge the medical benefits. He failed to gather enough signatures but believes the video, which has been viewed more than 762,000 times, adds strength to the movement - called Sing to Beat - and is set to use it as evidence.

“This was a dramatic display of singing enabling the brain to activate different areas to overcome some of the difficulties brought on by a stroke migraine, such as speech,” he said.

“This video will help the argument and we’re going to relaunch the campaign on the back of this.

“We didn’t get enough signatures last time but if all the people who have watched the video sign the petition we’ll be there.”

Sing to Beat runs under the Canterbury Cantata Trust and was launched in January 2018.

It is now associated with more than 25 singing and health groups across the UK.

For information, visit www. singtobeat.co.uk or attend a free training event at the Quarterhouse in Folkestone on Sunday, June 23.

n Watch the video at kentonline.co.uk/canterbury.

‘It felt like my brain fog had evaporated. The difficulty and confusion was melting away - there was a clear path’