Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Tiruwuha.
Hi Amanda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
This initiative began after covid, when my sister and I faced the loss of family due to Alhzeimer’s. To cope, we did 2 things:
1. singing and listening to our favorite songs non stop
2. researching neurodegeneration deeper to really understand what happened
Singing and research really helped comfort us with what happened. Once we entered highschool, we both continued singing and researching Neurodegeneration in our free time! I even ventured into researching PFAs degradation and its impact on neurodegeneration for a science fair project.
And one day, while dropping my sister off for a summer-long camp, we decided to sing along to some songs in the car together before not being able to see each other for a while. It was then, on the car ride back, did I realize how powerful music was at uniting people. It helped comfort me and my sister after the passing of family, carried us through the beginning of highschool, and even allowed us to bond before not seeing each other for a while.
It made me realize that the same could be done for families or sufferers of neurodegeneration, where listening to songs could give them hope. Meanwhile, the money we receive from the institutions we perform at could go towards neurodegeneration research, helping to directly affect sufferers.
Since then, we have raised over $5300 for Neurodegenerative disease research, while performing at 2-3 communities like nursing homes each month. So far, we’ve performed to 300+ residents at 17 senior homes. We have hosted corporate fundraisers with different chains. We also post informational blog posts on Neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on a specific one each month.
Right now, funding for neurodegenerative disease research is needed the most, especially as we are getting closer and closer to potential treatments. We have raised about $5300, but really want to begin fundraising even more for this program. We would love to have our cause shown! We are also offering opportunities for Georgia Highschoolers who want to join our team, whether that be applying as a singer, instrumentalist, volunteer, or outreach!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In forming NeuroSingers, and allowing it to grow, it also required expanding our team. During our first year, we started off with singers and researchers. However, we wanted to start expanding the money we raised, and the people we impacted, to outside senior homes.
This year, it has required me to expand our team to activities outreach, volunteers, performance outreach, and secretaries. From our school, we were able to recruit 60+ capable team members. The difficult part has been maintaining and ensuring constant communication with such a large team.
With this, I implemented weekly duties. Each Sunday, I send each team a list of tasks to be completed, due dates, links, and general reminders. With this, we have been able to lead successful events for all of our many teams, and have even been able to combine all these teams for large events such as hosting talent show concessions.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about NeuroSingers?
More than ever, neurodegenerative disease research is heavily needed. As millions of people per year suffer from debilitating neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease, and so much more, treatments are needed.
My grandfather was one of millions who suffered from neurodegeneration. And in a country with a lack of health resources, suffering from such conditions was a terrible fate.
As a high school student, with an interest in both performance and research, I have seen both sides of the coin. I have seen how music is able to bring families together, and instill hope. I also know how heavily needed funding is to find treatments for diseases, especially in neurodegeneration research which can get very expensive.
Allowing teens and myself across the US to pursue what they love, performance, while also simultaneously raising money for neurodegeneration research, is something that brings me hope and joy. Often times, sufferers of neurodegeneration need 2 kinds of treatment. One is within, and comes from hope and support. The second is research, which opens up gates for a better understanding of these diseases and potential treatments.
And through NeuroSingers, we are able to support these 2 treatments.
Since our beginning, we’ve raised over $5,300 for neurodegeneration research, sung to 300+ seniors across 17 senior living homes, have over 60 members and volunteers across metro-atlanta high schools, have hosted numerous fundraisers with large franchises, and have reached 127,000 youth through our monthly social media research blogs.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I want to thank my sisters in the creation of NeuroSingers. As kids, we would always sing together, even making our own songs and hosting concerts in our backyard. As I grew older, I was introduced to the world of science by my older sister, giving me a new interest in both science and singing. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to combine both of my loves for neuroscience and singing to make a change.
Pricing:
- Donate to our gofundme! We hope to raise $5000 on there by the end of March: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-neurosingers-for-gsu-research/cl/s?utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&lang=en_US
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.neurosingers.org/home
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurosingers/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-tiruwuha-712060326/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NeuroSingers
