Healing in Harmony: Stroke survivor finds community through STROKESTRA® at Dr. Phillps Center for the Performing Arts

ORLANDO, Fla. — What began as a trial session during inpatient rehabilitation became a turning point in Jenni Moore’s recovery journey.

Moore, a three-time stroke survivor and AdventHealth patient, first experienced Dr. Phillps Center’s STROKESTRA® while receiving inpatient rehabilitation care at AdventHealth Winter Park after her second stroke. At the time, she was in a wheelchair, unsure of what life after a stroke would look like.

Today, she stands onstage playing the vibraphone, a percussion instrument similar to a xylophone, alongside dozens of other stroke survivors, caregivers and professional musicians as part of Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts’s growing STROKESTRA® program, supported by AdventHealth’s rehab and music therapy team.

“From the very first session, it brought out so much joy in me,” Moore said. “Music helps you in every way when you have a stroke. It helps your brain, your movement, your cognition and even the emotional healing you’re going through. It’s been an integral part of my recovery.”

On May 14, STROKESTRA® participants performed inside the Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater at Dr. Phillips Center, celebrating the completion of the free, three-month workshop that combines music-making, rehabilitation and community support.

“Being involved in a group like STROKESTRA® accelerates healing, but the biggest thing is the community.”

What started in 2022 with just nine participants has grown to nearly 60, bringing together stroke survivors and caregivers from across Florida and beyond.

Developed in partnership with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, STROKESTRA® combines patient-led recovery with guidance from professional musicians and AdventHealth clinicians, including music therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and physical therapists.

For Moore, the program became about far more than learning music.

“Being involved in a group like STROKESTRA® accelerates healing, but the biggest thing is the community,” she said. “It can be isolating to be a stroke survivor because nobody fully understands what you’re going through. Every survivor’s experience is different, but when we’re together, there’s this understanding and connection that’s hard to explain.”

She remembers her first sessions vividly.

“They brought me up to the vibraphone in a wheelchair with an IV still in,” Moore said. “I had a physical therapist on one side and an occupational therapist on the other helping hold me up while I played. Now, I’m standing on my own and even dancing while I play. We didn’t know if I would ever stand again.”

Moore says the relationships formed through the program have become part of her continued healing.

“What you see on that stage is not just people playing instruments,” she said. “You see a community of warriors cultivating joy, healing, hope and love. We’ve become like family.”

"This program touches all the elements of whole person care: body, mind and spirit.”

Erica Kopp, a music therapist with AdventHealth who supports the program, says STROKESTRA® reflects AdventHealth’s commitment to caring for the whole person.

“When someone is recovering from a stroke, people often think only about the therapies happening in the hospital,” Kopp said. “But programs like this create meaningful relationships, reconnect people with themselves and their caregivers, and help restore confidence and purpose. This program touches all the elements of whole person care: body, mind and spirit.”

STROKESTRA ® is part of AdventHealth’s partnership with Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, which helps bring music, community and care together in a way that supports recovery beyond the clinic.

STROKESTRA® will expand from two session offerings to three, adding morning, afternoon and evening options to meet growing demand.

“From the very beginning, we’ve seen just how powerful music can be in helping people connect and feel uplifted,” said Kathy Ramsberger, president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Center. “As we look ahead, the goal is to build a nationally recognized hub for arts and wellness right here in downtown Orlando.”

For Moore, the program represents something deeper than recovery milestones.

“It heals our hearts,” she said. “It gives us a sense of belonging and reminds us of everything we’ve gained back. We celebrate life together.”

To learn more about Dr. Phillips Center’s STROKESTRA® and how AdventHealth supports wellness and the arts, click here.