The captivating music of Liszt and Debussy has echoed around the corridors of Cabrini Malvern in the past week or so as concert pianist and Cabrini patient Pauline Pidgeon practised for her upcoming recital in the hospital Chapel.

Pauline, an acclaimed pianist who has played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and is a Conservatorium of Music alumnus, fell and broke her pelvis late last month, but her Cabrini doctors uncovered something far more sinister after a series of scans.

“They found I have stage 2 lung cancer,” the award-winning pianist said. “I’m having radiation treatment and chemotherapy here at Cabrini, but fortunately they’ve found it’s only spread to one lymph node, so that’s good news.

“I guess God wants me to keep playing music and make more people happy.”

It’s hard not to be happy listening to Pauline play the piano and watching her fingers effortlessly glide over the keys.

Pauline, originally from regional Victoria, began playing piano before the age of three, and was recognised early as having an extraordinary gift.

“When I was growing up, I had no idea that my ability to play was anything special,” Pauline said. “It was a natural gift, but I took it for granted to be honest. I just went up to the piano and played by ear. But by the age of seven, I was playing for the school dances.”

[Years later], she made her debut as a soloist for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra playing Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 in 1966 under the baton of Sir Bernard Heinze, and even accompanied acclaimed Australian ballerina Kathleen Gorham.

Since retiring to Melbourne, Pauline has generously gifted audiences, both large and small, her incredible music, including our Cabrini patients and staff.

“Playing while I’m having my treatment is helping me,” she believes. “And I think people here at Cabrini are also enjoying listening.”

was invited to play by Cabrini’s Manager of Pastoral and Bereavement Service, Michael Taylor.

Pauline, who is still a patient on 5 West, didn’t hesitate to offer her services – until she realised something significant.

“I didn’t have any clothes and would be wearing my spotted dressing gown, so I asked Michael if that would be OK, and that’s when he told me that that our gathering hymn for the Mass was ‘Come as you Are,’” Pauline laughed.

And so, she came as she was. The wonderful Pauline went along to Mass in her spotted dressing gown and accompanied the choir during the very special service.

“It was the least I could do,” Pauline said. “Everyone here at Cabrini has been so wonderful to me – and it also gave me some valuable practice before my recital.”

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