It’s no surprise that some of the songs and stories people have submitted for my music project come from experiencing a health crisis. When faced with a threat to our well-being, we often turn inward to wrestle with our new reality. Sometimes a song is there for us, either from a memory or supportive friend or happenstance, to help us gain perspective and figure out the road ahead. That’s what the song “Titanium” did for Colleen Grimshaw.
Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, Colleen found herself facing a barrage of uncertainties. “With this diagnosis,” she explains, “came so many emotions, and fear of the unknown was one of the most debilitating. Fear that I could not be strong enough to have chemotherapy. Fear that I would lose my hair. Fear that I may not survive not just the cancer, but the cure. Fear that I would not be the same physically. Fear that I could not do what I always took for granted. Fear that my body would be repulsive and ugly.”
When Colleen shared her story, I’d not yet heard “Titanium.” A click on the internet, though, was all it took to understand why the song mattered. With music by David Guetta, the song quietly begins, as if he’s setting the stage for the story of someone facing a challenge. Then it builds, heading toward an explosive chorus. Sitting at my computer, light years away from the challenge Colleen was facing, I still felt myself being lifted.
Equally powerful are the song’s lyrics. Composed by Australian singer and songwriter Sia, her words match the musical strength of “Titanium.” Long after my first listen, this lyric echoes in my mind: You shoot me down, but I won’t fall.
Every time Colleen learned some disturbing news during her treatment, “Titanium” was there. “In the dark of the night,” she says, “when all rational thought escapes you and fear would keep me awake, I would play this song and feel that tomorrow I could do this. I could handle what I was dealt; I would be okay losing my breast, losing my hair. I would be strong.”
Moved by Colleen’s story of discovering strength, I decided to dig deeper into her song. I knew the title Titanium came from the world of science, a subject in which I’m particularly weak, so I relied on Google to explain that titanium is a metal known for its strength, its “resistance to corrosion.” Now if that’s not a metaphor for a person fighting cancer, I don’t know what is.
Fourteen years after it was released, with over 100 million views on YouTube, it’s clear that “Titanium” continues to be a healing message for many. As Colleen will tell you, “I still play the song when I’m in need of a boost of strength.”
Sound familiar? Do you have a song of strength? Have you faced a health crisis that first knocked you off your feet, but you managed to carry on? Or maybe you’ve witnessed a medical challenge of a loved one? Was a song playing on the radio, in the car to and from endless doctor’s appointments, or in the healing way our mind replays the song we most need to hear? If so, share your story with me here. And please know how much you inspire me when I hear your stories. When my book is published, so many others will have the same opportunity
