Queens Cancer Center Cheers Up Patients With Holiday Dance Show

FRESH MEADOWS, QUEENS -- Dr. Javier Roca can't wait to see his patients' faces light up when they see the special holiday performance he and his staff have planned for their treatment center in Queens.

Queens Medical Associates, a cancer care and blood infusion center in Fresh Meadows, has arranged for a Peruvian dance show to serenade patients during their treatments on Friday afternoon.

Roca said patients are often bound to the center's reclining chairs for hours on end receiving their chemo treatments or blood transfusions. He hopes an immersive dance show will help patients at Queens Medical Associates take their mind off treatment, if only for an hour.

"They're going through difficult times," Roca said. "Everything we can do to make their day better, that's what we like to do."

Students from Corazon Peruano NY, a Jackson Heights Peruvian dance school, will perform the Marinera Nortena, Peru's national dance, and other dances from the country for patients on Friday at 2 p.m.

"Our population is very international, so this is something they'll really enjoy," Roca said.

The holiday show is all part of a holiday tradition started two years ago by Maria López, a medical assistant at the practice and seasoned dancer at Corazon Peruano NY. López, who's danced the Marinera for 22 years, said she loved the dance so much she decided to start performing it for the center's patients as a holiday treat.

"They really love it," López said. "Some of them laugh, and some of them cry, because it's very emotional. It's about the love of the couple who does the dance. They're always asking when is going to be the next dance."

This year, she's invited some of the younger students from Corazon Peruano to do the dance with her. Three pairs of students will each do four-minute Peruvian dances in full costume at the practice and stick around after the performance to take photos with patients, López said.

With Queens Medical Associates treating around 300 patients per day, Roco expects the performance to have a decent sized audience, but you need not be a patient to attend. All are welcome to come enjoy the festive holiday dance on Friday afternoon, he said.

The performance is among a handful of events Queens Medical Associates hosts to boost patients' moods, Roca said. The practice also hosts festivities like Cancer Survivor Week and concerts from local schools throughout the year. For Halloween, staff members typically dress up in costume and hand out treats, he said.

"We try to do things that patients from all different backgrounds can find enjoyment in," Roca said. "We like to provide entertainment for them to make it more cheerful and lively."

Queens Medial Association is located at 176-60 Union Turnpike in Suite 360. For more information, visit their website or call 718-460-2300.

Lead image by Lissely Johnston/Corazon Peruano NY dance school

Corazon Peruano students Brandon Johnson, left, and Pamela Ardila will perform for patients at Queens Medical Associates on Dec. 22.