AdventHealth virtual choir salutes nurses with “Go the Distance” tribute for Nurses Week

May 07, 2020 — ORLANDO, Fla., May 7, 2020 — In honor of National Nurses Week, a team of music therapists from AdventHealth are saluting their colleagues on the frontlines with an inspiring rendition of the song “Go the Distance” from the Walt Disney Studios film Hercules.

The team that uses their talents throughout Central Florida hospitals — to help stroke patients relearn how to use their hands, calm preemies in the NICU and elicit laughter from children battling cancer — formed a virtual choir to recognize and inspire the care team as they continue to treat patients with COVID-19.

The song was musically arranged and led by board-certified music therapist and program manager Rich Abante Moats and released on social media Thursday.

“In this indirect way, we want to use the power of music to acknowledge the excellent care our AdventHealth team provides, as well as foster resilience during such a difficult time in history,” said Moats. “We want to drive home the idea of ‘going the distance,’ acting in a heroic way, and at the end of the day, finding our reward as well as our purpose.”

View the video here: www.facebook.com/watch/?v=325943238382002

National Nurses Week began May 6 and ends May 12, which is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. The theme for this year is compassion, expertise and trust, and 2020 has been declared the International Year of the Nurse.

At AdventHealth, board-certified music therapists are an important part of the care team in addressing the holistic needs of the patient and delivering the organization’s mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ. Music therapists use music and music interventions in a patient’s care to address physical, socio-emotional, neurological and spiritual needs. During the pandemic, the music therapy services have extended to virtual sessions for patients and online video content for staff.