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Lynden teen goes from brain surgery to Benaroya Hall

She will sing at a special concert created for Seattle Children's

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Grammy-winning composer Mateo Messina collaborates with countless people creating his music. But a friend from Seattle Children's introduced him to someone extra special.

"And he said, oh you got to meet Kira. And I said tell me about her!" said Messina.

Since she was young, Kira Iaconetti's first love has been singing and performing on stage. But in her mid-teens, she began felling something very off-key.

"It would make me go completely tone-deaf, it would make me not be able to sing in time with the music," said Kira. "When I was told it was a tumor I had about 3 weeks from then to actual open brain surgery."

Since the tumor is located on her right temporal lobe, which controls her hearing and singing ability, the doctors at Seattle Children's decides to perform a unique procedure.

"They had to wake me up and have me sing during surgery, so they knew they weren't pulling anything out that was important to my voice."

Her surgery was a success, and Kira has since returned to singing. But now she's about to perform to her biggest audience yet.

Credit: KING 5 Evening
Composer Mateo Messina talks with Kira Iaconetti about her upcoming performance.


Kira is one of the performers at Luma Guild's annual fundraising concert for Seattle Children's. It's a project Mateo looks forward to creating every year.

"The whole purpose of that night is to help raise money for kids and family going through treatment at Seattle's Children's and the really important research going on pediatric oncology," said Messina.

The song he created for Kira isn't about where she's been, but rather where she's going now.

"I think what's most exciting about working with Kira is she's been vulnerable in the writing of the songs which is great," said Messina.

Credit: KING 5 Evening
Mateo Messina's latest production, Origin, will be the 22nd concert he's created for Seattle Children's.


It may be the first time she performs as herself, but thanks to Seattle Children's, Kira's voice will continue to carry audiences away.

"Definitely not going to stop performing."

Mateo Messina's 22nd benefit concert, Origin, takes place Friday, November 15th at Benaroya Hall. Tickets for this fundraiser can be found on Luma Guild's website.

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