Video: Hospital Staff’s Surprise Serenade Brings Pre-Teen Cancer Survivor to Tears on Last Day of Chemo

(Photo courtesy of Facebook courtesy Shannon Bailey)

On 12-year-old Florida child Ian Bailey’s final day of chemotherapy after a grueling battle with cancer, the boy was treated to a very special musical performance by the staff of Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

As Ian was waiting around in his room, the staff came in complete with a guitar and tambourine to sing him a custom rendition of Taio Cruz’s 2009 dance hit “Dynamite.” A video taken by his mom, Shannon Bailey, brought many social media users around the country to tears just as the pre-teen was clearly moved by the trouble they took to make him feel special.

Watch this incredibly moving musical surprise rendition by the staff at Wolfson Children’s:

It was Oct. 8, 2019, and Ian Bailey was leafing through a book after finishing his last chemotherapy treatment. His mom, Shannon, had a whole bunch of special activities planned to help celebrate the occasion. As she wrote on the Facebook page Ian’s Army, the day couldn’t have been more momentous for their family. “No more chemo, no more fevers, no more ER visits, no more stays at the resort [chemo unit], no more transfusions, no more sleepless nights away from home, no more tears because he can’t eat or talk.”

But what Ian didn’t know was that the doctors and nurses who spent so much time helping him get well wanted to do their part to mark their occasion. As the staff walked in complete with musical instruments, a smile broke across Ian’s face, clearly intrigued by what was happening. “What is this?” he asked his mom, with an amused look.

Photo courtesy of Shannon Bailey

But as the staff began to sing, he began to tear up. While the music of Taio Cruz’s hit song was familiar, the staff had changed the lyrics just for Ian:

We throw our hands up in the air today

Saying aye oh

No more chemo Ian looks over to his mom, perhaps with the suspicion that she has organized the whole thing for him. The staff encourage him to savor the moment. They sing:

Go on home and enjoy your life

We will miss you here

Cuz you’re dynamite At this point, Ian is clearly touched and on the verge of tears but looks very happy to have the worst of his ordeal behind him. They continue:

Go on and have some fun

Cuz you fought your fight Which is exactly what he did after being released from the hospital. As his mom wrote on Facebook:

“[T]here was dinner with family, and dinner with friends (sushi finally!!!), there was lunch by the river, checkers with his brothers (because at Cracker Barrel that’s what you do), school work at Urban Bean with his buddy Talan, a visit with his principal and vice principal, and did I mention laughter, so much laughter.”

Photo courtesy of Shannon Bailey

As the song drew to a close, Ian got a big round of applause from all of those in the hospital who had helped him make it through chemo and were inspired by his maturity and resilience throughout. “We’re so proud of you,” one of the nurses told him as she gave the choked-up survivor a big hug.

“I don’t normally get this teary, but whoa,” he said, wiping his cheeks. “Wow, guys, that just meant so much to me. I’m going to miss you guys so much.” As one of the nurses joked, “You can come say hi and just not spend the night here.” He and his mom thanked everyone who had taken part in his recovery.

Meanwhile, the video has gone on to be viewed tens of thousands of times on social media, provoking lots of tears on the part of all those who have seen it. Ian’s mom, Shannon, wrote on Facebook that the level of care displayed in the video was typical of the experience they had at the hospital.

“Thank you Wolfson’s and Nemours for providing an environment that we can turn into our ‘home away from home during unwelcomed treatments.’”

Best of all, as the song itself explained, “Ian is moving on to brighter days and starting Chapter 2.”