Housekeepers' gospel choir reaches hospital patients

Normally angels are depicted in white, but upon your next visit to UNC Hospitals, you might see some angels dressed in Carolina Blue.

Carolina Blue robes are the uniforms of the Environmental Services Choir, which is comprised of the hospitals’ housekeeping staffs.

Shawn Davis, a housekeeper since 2014, organized the gospel group for the hospital’s multicultural fair in 2014.

“We were the grand finale for the event, and it was nothing but success,” Davis said. “I’m talking about people jumping and shouting and testifying everything in the lobby of the hospital.”

Since their first performance, the choir has done events at the hospital, funerals, women’s basketball games and for individual patients.

Davis works in the bone marrow transplant unit.

“When the patients come here, they don’t know if they’re going to make it or not, so I take it upon myself to really be light to them in a dark situation or in a dark time in their lives and to just reassure them that all is not lost and the best is yet to come,” Davis said.

Davis said he helps to make the hospital a place of healing in more than one way.

“To just watch the expression on their face when they realize, ‘I can come to a hospital and not only receive healing from the doctors but to receive healing for my soul.’ So when I see those patients, it’s just beautiful,” Davis said.

Other members of the choir also recognize the importance of their music. Catherine Nickerson has been a housekeeper at UNC Hospitals for eight years and is a member of the Environmental Services Choir.

She said she feels the choir is making an impact greater than just singing.

“I would say some people really don’t believe in Christian music or gospel music, and then when they find out that someone sings and they know them, then it kinda changes them a little bit,” Nickerson said.

Nickerson said the choir reaches the hospital community beyond just patients.

“It’s something different,” she said. “Usually housekeeping is just housekeeping. So it’s something that just strengthens your relationship with your coworkers.”

Orlando Reyes, associate director for environmental services, said the program has had a positive impact on the department, bringing together workers from different shifts.

He said the hospital works to allow both shifts to practice together and allows them to practice in the hospital’s conference room.

“We would like to continue it. They’re definitely doing a very good job of working together,” Reyes said.

“And their focus is not just about them. It’s about the patients.”

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