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15-Year-Old Hospice Patient Gets Surprise Visit From Florence + The Machine

By Chelsea Lacey-Mabe

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A teenager from Austin, Texas had one of her biggest disappointments and best moments of her life all within 24 hours.

The 15-year-old is a patient at Hospice Austin. She had tickets to see her favorite band—Florence + the Machine at Austin 360 amphitheater Thursday night but she missed the concert due to her health.

"All week through set back after set back she asked if she would be able to go," Hospice Austin nurse practitioner Christie Kremer said in a Facebook post. "We tried to entertain the idea and it felt so scary and overwhelming for the medical staff and her mother that finally I said "no," and my heart broke again."

Florence + The Machine sings with Hospice Austin teen by hospiceaustin1 on YouTube

That disappointment faded fast on Friday—when Florence Welch and band member Rob Ackroyd walked into the girl's hospital room.

They gave a special performance to the girl with Welch singing "Shake It Out" right from the teen's bed. Soon the whole room, full of Hospice Austin staff and friends and relatives of the girl all erupted into song.

"Such a good melody," Welch said to the girl who was also singing along.

Christopher House and Hospice Austin staff had reached out to the band when they determined the girl would not be well enough to attend the concert she had been looking forward to for so long.

"The room was full--full of joy and warmth and love and life and singing," said Hospice Austin nurse Lev Baesh in a Facebook post. "Thank you to Florence and your people. Thank you to the teenagers who filled that room with life for yet another day."

Florence & the Machine sing for Hospice Austin teen by hospiceaustin1 on YouTube

Welch and Ackroyd also performed "Dog Days Are Over."

"The dog days are over. The dog days are done," the girl and Welch sang together.

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