Scottish care home resident living with motor neurone disease writes moving song

A care home resident living with motor neurone disease has written a song about her five-year-old daughter and is about to launch it as her first ever single.

Susanne Watson, 47, who is a resident at Barchester Drummond Grange Care Home in Lasswade wrote the words for the song and set it to music with the help of the home’s music therapist, Rory Campbell.

Based on Ms Watson’s relationship with her daughter, Olivia, the song talks about how life can change in a heartbeat and take a very different path, but how it is good to ask for help and support and people are still individuals no matter what their challenges.

Ms Watson who used to write poetry when she was younger said: “It has been such a wonderful experience writing the song, working on it with Rory, the staff and the other residents and bringing it to fruition. The words really are from the heart, and I am so happy with the finished version, I think it is really beautiful.

“It was lovely to be able to include everyone from the home, as well as my family, in the project.”

The home has just launched its own radio station, Radio Drummond, and it was this project which gave Ms Watson the idea to write the song so it could be played on the radio.

Music therapist for Drummond Grange, Rory Campbell, says: “It has been an absolute privilege to work on this single with Susanne, she is remarkable.

“I don’t think she has any idea how talented she is. I have loved helping her to set her words to music, I know what it meant to her, so I was honoured to be able to help.”

’It reduces me to tears’

The song has been adopted as the home’s anthem.

Eleanor Wilson, general manager at Drummond Grange adds: “Susanne is so talented, we couldn’t be prouder of her – she has created a beautiful song for everyone to enjoy, which will be part of her legacy.

“The whole home took part in the project, and everyone really enjoyed learning the music and performing on the single. Every time I hear it, especially Susanne’s spoken word part at the end, it reduces me to tears, it is just so moving.”

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