This choir consists of throat cancer survivors who had their voice boxes removed

In Croatia, a choir composed of cancer survivors who had their voice boxes removed is bringing audiences to tears.

Founded in 2007, ‘The Optimists’ is the first choir of its kind in the world and aims to reduce the social stigma associated with the operation.

"There are very few people like us… and in my experience, most people when they see me with this thing in my throat, are apprehensive,” said Veseljko Stojak, a member of the choir. 

“It's easier when people know what this is about, and when they do, they treat us differently”. 

Stojak says he wasn’t a fan of the idea of support groups but joining the choir has helped him find community with other survivors.

"When something like this happens to a person, they are shocked, and also depressed, it takes a bit of mental fortitude to go through all this. And it turns out that really the best therapy is to hang out with others with the same problem,” he said.

Throat cancer is a disease which affects hundreds of Croatians every year.

For those with acute cases, this is often treated through a laryngectomy, a surgical procedure which removes the larynx.

In the process, breathing and digestive systems are separated, so patients are forced to learn to breathe and speak through an opening in their neck.

‘Singing without vocal cords’

Behind 'The Optimists' is the speech therapy specialist Tamara Zivkovic Ivanovic.

According to Zivkovic Ivanovic, many who have undergone this operation train through singing.

“It's got intonation, rhythm, tempo. It's easy to recognise the song they are singing. It's not unlistenable, on the contrary - I think it really sounds good,” she said.

It's the confidence singing gives those who have had a laryngectomy, which motivated Zivkovic Ivanovic to form the choir in the first place.

She recalls a patient who could start speaking again thanks to her therapy but burst into tears because he couldn’t sing at his grandson’s birthday.

"Frankly, music means a lot to me too, whether dancing or music, it helped me get through some problems in life. So that was the saddest thing ever to hear for me. I was left reeling in my office, and I thought to myself, why not try giving back that part of life to people who suffered through laryngectomy,” Zivkovic Ivanovic said.

“If they can speak without the larynx, then they can sing, too. It's not a real singing voice because they have no vocal cords, they can't be professionals - but it's still a form of singing without using vocal cords. That's how the idea was born," she added.

They may sound different compared to other choirs, but audiences still love them.

“When we perform, audiences always enjoy our sound and react emotionally and cry. I would never want to lead the choir if these were tears of sadness - but then they explain that these are tears of happiness, because the choir brings emotion out of them. And what's music if not emotion?" Zivkovic Ivanovic said. 

The choir's repertoire includes many popular Croatian pop ballads, which it has performed at events in Croatia and abroad, from medical congresses to prestigious venues.

The success of the choir has led the patients to make guest appearances at the Croatian National Theatre and perform alongside opera divas and local pop singers.

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