Late last month, British violinist Dagmar Turner performed a wonderful piece of music while undergoing brain surgery, to ensure that the surgical procedure did not affect her ability to play the violin. Images of the event caused quite a sensation.
According to foreign media, Turner, 53, who plays violin for the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra in the UK and has been playing for more than 40 years, was diagnosed in 2013 as having brain cancer. Even though the initial surgery did manage to remove the tumor, the cancer reappeared in December last year.
Keyoumars Ashkan, the neurosurgeon who performed the procedure this time, was concerned that the surgery might affect the cranial nerves that enable Turner to control her hand movements. The two of them came up with the idea to allow Turner to play the violin during the surgery, and in this way the surgeons would be able to determine during the process whether the cranial nerves were working properly. Because of this, the doctors also needed to understand music, otherwise they couldn’t be certain whether the idea was working.
Photo: Reuters
照片:路透
The four-hour procedure went off without a hitch, and during the surgery Turner performed the classic jazz piece Summertime by the US composer George Gershwin, as well as songs by Latin lothario Julio Iglesias.
Turner is now fully recovered and has been discharged from hospital. She is back performing on stage, and has become the UK’s first person to undergo brain surgery to remove a tumor in a waking state while also playing the violin.
(Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
英國小提琴家透納上月底在醫院進行開顱手術的同時,以小提琴演奏出優美樂曲,為的是讓她的演奏能力不受開刀過程影響,畫面曝光後引發熱烈討論。
綜合外媒報導,現年五十三歲的透納,是英國懷特島交響樂團的小提琴手,拉琴經驗逾四十年,二○一三年被確診罹患腦癌,雖然一度開刀切除腫瘤,但去年十二月再次復發。
為透納動刀的神經外科醫生阿什坎擔心手術會影響透納控制手部動作的大腦神經,因此兩人想出一項方案,讓透納開刀時演奏小提琴,好讓醫師能在過程中判斷腦神經是否正常。因此,醫師還需要懂音樂才能確保做法有效。
四小時的手術相當順利,期間,透納演奏美國音樂家蓋希文的經典爵士樂作品《夏日時光》,以及西班牙歌手「拉丁情人」胡立歐的歌曲。
如今,透納已康復出院,並重返舞台參加演出,而她也成為英國首位在清醒狀態接受腫瘤摘除手術,還能拉小提琴的人。
(自由時報)
After the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the Vatican’s papal conclave on May 8 elected a new leader for the Catholic Church. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, who chose to be called Leo XIV, became the 267th pope, spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. But what exactly does a pope do? Here is a rundown of his main responsibilities. CATHOLIC LEADER The word pope comes from the Greek “pappas,” meaning “father, patriarch,” which is why believers call him the Holy Father. He is considered the successor of St Peter, to whom Jesus Christ is said to have entrusted
If you could nominate any toys for the Toy Hall of Fame, what would they be? Iconic playthings like yo-yos, toy cars, or video games seem like obvious __1__. Classic toys such as jacks, playing cards, and board games like Chess, Monopoly, and Uno have brought endless joy to generations. Overall, there are countless toys that __2__ in the Toy Hall of Fame. The National Toy Hall of Fame was __3__ in 1998 at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. The Toy Hall of Fame aims to __4__ items that have been cherished for generations, and several
Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日) https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang However, not every toy has its moment. Some fans were __8__ that simple classics like balloons—a universal symbol of celebrations—haven’t made the cut yet. With their lightweight charms and transformative puffs of air, balloons have __9__ millions for decades and will have to wait at least another year for a chance to be inducted. As the Toy Hall of Fame continues to celebrate toys that __10__ creativity and joy, we can only wonder which treasures will earn a spot next. Will the widely adored balloon finally take its place in 2025? Only time will tell, but one thing is
Have you ever wondered who decides what we see in a museum or how one artwork seamlessly connects to the next? Behind every thoughtfully arranged gallery space stands a curator, a skilled professional who combines art and storytelling to craft meaningful experiences. The term “curator” originates from the Latin word cura, meaning “to care.” Curators were originally caretakers of museum collections, but over time, their role has grown to include a broad range of responsibilities that extend far beyond preservation. Today, curators manage, organize and interpret collections in cultural institutions like museums and libraries. They research, acquire and catalogue