A group of pediatricians at UNC Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill have created an uplifting music video to welcome in the new year. The video, which was released to all staff on New Year’s Day, was meant to thank the team at UNC Children’s for all their hard work during the pandemic and over the holidays.
As the sweet melodies of Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody play over an old school radio system, the UNC Children’s Hospital music video opens with a shot of Dr. Stuart Gold.
Bedecked in a shimmering metallic suit jacket and bedazzled shoes, Gold looks like your classic music video star. But he’s not just the lead role and fashion icon of UNC Children’s first ever music video, he is also a pediatric oncologist – serving the hospital for 32 years.
“I was not volunteered, I was assigned the role and I sure would not give it up,” Gold said. “I’m a bit of an extrovert and I do have the wardrobe. Some people thought that wardrobe was purchased for the video, but it was not. It’s part of my wardrobe that I use for special occasions.”
Dr. Stuart Gold dancing (Photo via UNC Children’s)
Gold, whose surname aptly fits the glittering jacket he wears, knew that there had to be a better way to spread some cheer over the holidays. As part of UNC Children’s Wellness Committee, Gold said the group meets weekly to try to find new ways to help the department through the pandemic.
“We were just chatting one day on the phone and came up with the idea,” Gold said. “We were trying to figure out what to do for the holidays and thought buying people something was kind of frivolous and wouldn’t mean anything and we just kept going through ideas and finally we came up with the idea of giving them something priceless – giving them some joy and happiness.”
Gold and fellow UNC Children’s faculty filmed the music and dance number on a Saturday morning in mid-December when the cancer clinic was closed. He said they kept the project a secret until the video was sent out to staff on New Year’s Day – a way to kick off 2021 with fun and optimism.
“To do something fun and collaborative and meaningful – I just think it came out far better then we could have ever even imagined,” Gold said. “We’re getting emails from people across the country, from people we haven’t heard from in 10 years – to be honest I can’t keep up with my email and my texts it’s hysterical.”
Dr. Stuart Gold and fellow staff dancing (Photo via UNC Children’s)
Not only was the music video a way to raise people’s spirits, it also allowed the opportunity for Gold and other faculty to safely spend some time together after months apart.
“I got a text from a coworker today just saying they haven’t felt joy in so long and this gave them joy,” Gold said. That’s just the best feeling in the world.”
Click here to watch the full music video featuring Dr. Stuart Gold and the rest of the team at UNC Children’s hospital.
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