The intercontinental serenade to a grandmother who lives in India and has Alzheimer's disease is just one example of how the 17-year-old links melody to caring. At HSHS St. John's Hospital in her hometown of Springfield, Illinois, Meher goes door to door as a volunteer musician, bringing patients welcome comfort through her violin.
"I was so inspired and curious by what I saw with my grandmother, I searched music therapy online," Meher said. "The most effective music therapy comes from live music, and the best form of music therapy is where patients can be interactive or with music that patients have a personal connection to."
Inspired to share her talent
Meher started playing piano at 5 and since has added violin and flute to her repertoire. She said her grandmother, a retired music teacher, was her first instructor and has been the inspiration behind her music therapy.
"When she first developed Alzheimer's, it progressed extremely quickly," Meher said. "And you could see visually that the music was having an effect. I would play her favorite song, 'Rainbow in the Sky,' and on FaceTime her eyes would light up. She would sit up, and you could just see it in her face."
Meher's mother, Ruchi Gupta, a gastroenterologist in Springfield, recalled how the isolation prompted by the COVID pandemic affected her daughter's relationship with her grandmother.
"My mom started struggling with dementia and being forgetful, so Meher would cheer her up instantaneously whenever my mom would FaceTime her," Gupta said. "Meher would play, and I think that really kept her out of deep depression. That opened Meher's eyes as to how music can heal in many ways."
Meher agreed that the pandemic gave her a strong sense of how music can be medicinal. She had been playing violin in the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra, which went on hiatus during the crisis.
"I kind of felt this loneliness," she said. "Then I realized certain people never have access to live music."
When the pandemic ended, Meher and her 13-year-old brother, Veer, started a group called Melody Therapy, with musicians from local school bands and the youth orchestra. Its motto is: "Empowering healing and emotional growth through music and mindfulness." Veer, soon to be a high school freshman, plays trumpet and piano and "really likes math," Meher said.
"We arrange little concerts, and the live musicians perform different instruments," she said.
'A peaceful distraction'
Britney Davis, assistant nurse manager of the orthopedic unit at St. John's, has seen firsthand how Meher's music can soothe patients and their families.
"When Meher walks onto our unit with her violin, you can immediately feel a sense of calm and comfort fill the hallways," Davis said. "Her beautiful music provides patients with a peaceful distraction from the stress of being hospitalized. Many patients stop what they're doing just to listen, and it's not uncommon to see smiles and tears of joy or hear heartfelt comments about how much her music has brightened their day."
Davis recalled Meher's effect on a patient who was experiencing postoperative pain. "As Meher began playing her violin, the patient's focus shifted from their discomfort to the beautiful music filling the room," she said. "You could see their expression soften as they relaxed, smiled and simply enjoyed the moment."
Beyond her remarkable musical talent, Davis said Meher is "one of the kindest and sweetest young women you could ever meet."
"Her presence has had a lasting impact not only on our patients but also on our entire healthcare team," Davis said. "In the midst of a busy, often challenging day, her music reminds us all to pause, reflect, and appreciate the simple moments of joy."
Connecting music to memories
When she plays for patients with Alzheimer's or dementia, Meher reaches out to their families for song suggestions.
"If I have a patient who's not giving much response," Meher said, "I will see if they have maybe, like, a family member nearby, and I will ask the family member, 'Are there any particular meaningful songs to this patient? Do you remember a song they were attached to, like a song from their wedding day, or a song from a meaningful moment?' Then I will perform that song."
Once, at the request of a patient's daughter, she played "Hey Jude." The daughter said her mother used to sing the Beatles classic to her. Another time, on the Fourth of July, one of her listeners was a veteran, so she played "The Star-Spangled Banner" for him. "It was an amazing experience," she recalled. "He saluted."
When Meher and her fellow musicians visit Alzheimer's and dementia care centers, in addition to performing, they make keepsakes for patients.
Finding her own joy
"We basically take objects that are meaningful to patients, like for one patient it was her rosary beads and bracelets, and we make a memory box that we present to the patients as we play live music," she explained.
Meher said the positive effects of music therapy flow both ways. She finds it rewarding to see patients turn their attention to her playing and smile.
"It's great when I can get through to a patient and they say, 'Oh, can you come back later?' Sometimes after I'm finished playing, the patient tells me a little bit more about themselves," she said. "So it's a way for me to connect with these patients, too. Growing up, I was introverted and a little bit hesitant, so it brought me out of my own shell, too."
Given how she is already using her talents to bring patients comfort, it's probably not surprising that Meher, soon to be a high school senior, is looking ahead to a career as a physician.
For now, she is fitting her musical volunteer work into a busy schedule. "I've just tried to prioritize certain things, and I try to do things that bring me joy," she said.
To see a TV news segment that includes video of Meher performing for a patient, click here.