The Smile Tour (In Honor of Humayra Bodhania)

Humayra Bodhania, an 8-year-old girl with whom I communicated many times and had a very close connection, recently died as a result of PH. I know that death is not uncommon in the PH community, but her death has been particularly devastating. She is the inspiration behind “The Smile Tour.” The tour Involves my visiting hospitals and performing for and spending time with people who have PH and other chronic illnesses, in an effort to give them hope and a sense of peace during what I know can be a very challenging time. 

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At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital

Our first stop was USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital in SF where we had an amazing and truly moving experience. I documented the experience and would like to continue doing so with the aim of using the footage to help bring awareness to this disease. Our two days at USCF Benioff consisted of my guitarist and I performing a few songs in a common room for kids, parents, doctors, and hospital staff, and then going from room to room to play for the kids privately, followed the next day by an actual show in the hospital auditorium for kids, parents, doctors, hospital staff, and anyone else who

ABOUT CHLOE TEMTCHINE

To paraphrase what Amy Carlberg wrote in Bust Magazine, Chloe Temtchine, with supermodel looks, intoxicating sex appeal, and a sultry, soulful voice, would not look out of place on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine, with the possible exception of the breathing tubes that she must use, even while performing.

Chloe Temtchine was rushed to the emergency room due to congestive right-heart failure on March 4, 2013. She was told that she may not have much time left to live and that she would have to be on oxygen for the rest of her life. After having been misdiagnosed for five years by some of the most respected and acclaimed medical practitioners and institutions in NYC, she was finally diagnosed with severe Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). Misdiagnosis did not simply alter her life; it shook it to its core. However, the real story is not what happened as a result of the diagnosis; it's what happened afterwards.

Just over a year after being handed a devastating diagnosis, Chloe (who sings with a paralyzed vocal chord and her oxygen tank, she affectionately refers to as Steve Martin, by her side) debuted her song, “Be Brave,” which she wrote shortly after being released from the critical care unit. It's a song about making the choice to live despite life’s challenges.

“Be Brave,” available on iTunes, has been adopted by the PH community as its anthem, and pharmaceutical companies have shipped in excess of 120K copies to their clients. Chloe donates fifty percent of the song’s proceeds to support the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) and its mission of finding a cure.

Amy Carlberg of BUST Magazine noted, “The title of the song reminds us of the splendid courage it takes to live day to day with a disease or a disability. The song is twangy and energetic, and springboards off the bluegrass and banjo-laden sounds that have been ruling the pop charts. Chloe Temtchine is a role model for all women, but especially those with severe illnesses, showing that it's still possible to go after the life you love.”

Jeffrey Hayzlett, Primetime TV Host and Star of Bloomberg’s C Suite, said, “Chloe Temtchine’s story is so moving, and her talent in the face of all obstacles is nothing short of amazing.”

YouTube Sensation, Award Winning Singer/Songwriter, recipient of the PHA Inaugural 2014 Chloe Temtchine Be Brave Award, &  the Tom Lantos Innovation in Community Service Award, recipient of the Avon Award for "Best Song", and a passionate advocate of the Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Diagnosis Act of 2014, New York City based Ms. Temtchine is fiercely committed to bringing awareness to Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) via entertainment.

 She has collaborated with an illustrious group of top songwriters/producers, including American Grammy nominee, Greg Camp (Smash Mouth), Guy Roche (Christina Aguilera), Toby Gad (Fergie, John Legend), Sasha Skarbek (James Blunt), Duncan Sheik, Marc Nelkin (Corinne Bailey Rae), David Gamson (Meshell Ndegeocello), Andy Marvel (Jessica Simpson), YouTube phenomenons David Choi and Tay Zonday, Maia Sharp (Bonnie Raitt), Pam Sheyne (Christina Aguilera), Richard Harris, Ben Romans (Click Five), Andrew Williams, Michelle Featherstone, Felix McTeigue, Jim Marr and Wendy Page (Hilary Duff), Tim Gordine, Scott Simons….

Ms. Temtchine was recently featured in the Huffington Post and in the New York Post; she has performed on “Late Night with David Letterman”; she is the voice behind the national commercial celebrating the 100th anniversary of American Express, she has been featured on NY-1 news with “Where in The Truck is Chloe”; she has been on The Nate Berkus Show (NBC), on Fox News, in Fox News Health, in LA Weekly…. Additionally, she has performed on “Fearless Music” (FOX 5), on Hallmark's "Home & Family,” and on KTLA; her song “Brand New Day” has been featured on “The Early Morning Show” (CNN); and she has had songs placed in various TV series and films. Some of her songs are in French and Spanish, as she is trilingual.

Chloe Temtchine is an award-winning songwriter, performer and motivational speaker, retained by worldwide brands and multinational pharmaceutical companies. She is also retained for private, invitation-only performances and speaking engagements. 

Chloe is on a mission to use entertainment to bring awareness to PH. Awareness will not only lead to earlier diagnosis and to therefore greater survival rates, but the more well-known this disease becomes, the closer we are to a cure. The more awareness we can create, the more lives we can save.