BOSTON -- Boston hospitals are full of medical professionals whose mission is to save lives. But when they've done everything possible, one local woman steps in and uses music to soothe what medicine cannot.

NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported Thursday on Music-Thanatology.

Jennifer Hollis is an accomplished musician.

"I'm a Music-Thanatologist," said Hollis.

She has undergone years of training to create music that heals.

"I use live harp and vocal music at the bedside of people that are close to the end of life for patients,” Hollis said.

When all medical options have been exhausted, Hollis uses the chords of her harp and tone of her voice to bring peace and solace to her patients, as they transition from life to death.

She has been playing at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington since 2005.

"It was absolutely beautiful," said Mary Sansone, daughter of 86-year-old Lydia Ayotte.

Hollis creates music by taking cues from patients’ vital signs, such as their breathing rate, pulse and pain level.

"Every person is different in the way that they respond to the music. Sometimes I'll make a small change like adding vocal music and everything is different. Suddenly, the patient falls right to sleep," said Hollis.

Lydia closed her eyes and appeared very relaxed by the harmonies. Her daughter, Mary Sansone, is grateful for the experience.

"She closed her eyes several times, and I think she was just very much at peace," said Sansone.

Doctors are seeing amazing results.

"It makes a huge difference in a person's blood pressure and heart rate," said Dr. Elizabeth Collins, a palliative care physician at Lahey Clinic.

"The nurses have noticed that the monitors stop beeping as frequently. Most people walk away feeling like a person again," Collins said.

The sounds of the harp: giving patients a sense of peace, to enrich the end of their life.