Step 3: How I Got Permission to Play at Hospitals

After I felt confident playing all 10 songs, there was still one big step standing in my way: getting permission.

Finishing those ten songs gave me a brief sense of satisfaction, as I had done something that I once thought was impossible, only to then realize that it was just the start of a real journey. The hours that I've spent practicing suddenly felt like a warm-up for something much bigger.

As much as I wanted to walk into a random hospital and sit down to play the piano, I knew I couldn't. Hospitals are professional environments, and I wanted to make sure I was respectful of their time, space, and—most importantly—their patients.

So, I began researching hospitals near me that I could easily go to. The closest one was a Police Hospital (โรงพยาบาลตำรวจ), a government-owned institution where every Thai citizen can go for affordable healthcare. I then searched the hospital to see if they had a piano, and to my surprise, they did. Every hospital has its own structure, but I figured that contacting someone at the volunteer department or administration would be a good place to start. So I went on my computer, searched for the telephone number, and called the hospital.

After someone picked up, I went straight to the point and explained that I was a student who wanted to volunteer by playing the piano for sick patients. The person on the line understood my request and immediately transferred me to the Volunteer Services department, where they asked me loads of questions: what I'd be playing, when I was available, my skill level, and if I had any prior experience playing in this environment.

Then, they asked me to come to the hospital to collect and fill out a volunteer application form. To be honest, when I saw the form, I felt that it was a bit formal, which made me even more nervous. But as I sat there in front of the form, I reminded myself of why I started in the first place. It wasn't just about playing the songs that I liked, but leveraging my musical abilities in order to bring comfort and warmth to people who really need it the most. This experience ultimately taught me that when you begin to doubt yourself, always start wth your "whys"

Why did you start?

Why does it matter to you?

Why is it worth pushing through even though it's scary?

Personally, I started this journey because I realized that music has the ability to heal. I didn't start this just because I love music. I started because I wanted to do something that mattered to someone else. Playing the piano in a hospital setting isn't about being perfect; it's about showing up and reminding people that they're not alone. To me, it was worth pushing through because if even my music had one impact on just one person, then every nerve and doubt I had before playing was worth it.

Sometimes, just remembering your "whys" is enough to carry you through the hardest moments.

A few days after I submitted the form, I got a call back. They said yes. Suddenly, my months of practice had a real purpose. I had a date, a time, and a place. And the nerves definitely started to kick in. Everything I had been practicing was about to become real.

And let's just say that the things didn't go exactly as planned, not even close. I messed a lot, hit a bunch of wrong notes, lost my place, and for a moment, I wanted to disappear. But somehow, none of that seemed to matter. People still stopped to listen. Some smiled. And in that moment, I realized that showing up, even imperfectly, can still mean something.

In my next blog post, I'll walk you through what that first hospital performance was actually like, how I felt, and what I wish I had known before I sat down at the piano.

For now, here is a sneak peek into the environment of the hospital:

Thanks for following the journey so far.

Stay tuned.

-Team