Christmas carols bring festive cheer – and smiles – to NRH’s Children’s Ward
Sterry Lenny with his baby Ellen, enjoying the singing yesterday.
You could not wipe the smile off her face.
And though Miriam Kelesi – one of the children admitted in the National Referral Hospital yesterday – was “fright lelebet” to join in the Christmas singing, she said she loved it.
“It’s really good,” she said, smiling from ear-to-ear. “I liked all the songs.”
Miriam Kelesi with her sister Zimmanuel who were filming the singing
Part of Christmas is about giving back to those less fortunate, and in the case of the children stuck in the National Referral Hospital over the festive season, the surrounds of a hospital – rather than their homes or villages – can be hard to take.
So this group of health workers banded together to bring some cheer to the ward, in the form of carols.
The concept began earlier this year – with workers singing sometimes twice a week – as a . And as the festive season approached it morphed into a Christmas edition.
The group singing yesterday
The man behind the idea, paediatric doctor and Australian volunteer Rami Subi, said it was a simple way to “lift the mood” in the ward.
“A lot of the children and families have spent a long time in hospital, sometimes months,” he said. “And this is a great form of music and play therapy.
The group mid-song
“It’s also helped to build team spirit in the hospital and involve lots of members from the community outside the paediatric ward.”
Watch the group perform ‘Angels We Have Heard On High’ in the video below:
The group is planning a final Christmas carols round for the children on Monday.