Charles Esten poses at Chippenham

Musicians On Call Kicks Off Richmond Programs at Chippenham Hospital

Musicians On Call is bringing the MOC Bedside program to Richmond, VA to share the healing power of music with the community. Volunteer Guides and Musicians will begin visiting patients at Chippenham Hospital, part of HCA Virginia, on a weekly basis, going room to room to perform directly at the bedsides of patients. 

In celebration of this expansion, Musicians On Call welcomed Charles Esten to Chippenham Hospital to launch this new program. Representatives and leadership from Musicians On Call and Chippenham were in attendance to mark the special occasion. MOC also presented the facility with a commemorative Gibson Guitar in honor of the partnership. Following a public performance, Esten visited patient bedsides for one-on-one moments, playing fan favorites from a wide range of genres. A request for hair metal was met with wide grins and enthusiastic thumbs up’s from one patient, who rocked out so hard her machines started beeping.

Photos by Dusty Barker

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The expansion of MOC’s programs is possible thanks to a collaboration with HCA Healthcare that included a $1 million gift to fund the creation and launch of MOC’s proprietary online platform designed to enhance its program delivery and enable the organization to reach more hospital patients and healthcare workers nationwide.

Music has incredible physical, emotional, and mental benefits in healthcare, and we are grateful to HCA Healthcare and Chippenham Hospital for making this initiative possible. We were so happy to have MOC champion Charles Esten join us in celebrating the start of this special program, and look forward to inviting more volunteers to join us in sharing the uplifting power of music. Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President & CEO

“We are thrilled to welcome Musicians On Call to Chippenham Hospital and bring their innovative live music programs to our patients,” said Lance Jones, CEO of Chippenham Hospital. “Providing our patients with exceptional care is our goal each day and we know that our collaboration with Musicians On Call will help us in that regard thanks to the joy and healing that music can provide.”

Musicians On Call is looking for musicians and music lovers to help share the joys of live music in Richmond as certified MOC Volunteers. Volunteer Musicians are local, professional-caliber musicians who perform hopeful songs during the bedside programs. Volunteer Guides act as the “eyes and ears” of MOC, leading the musician through the experience of playing for patients and liaising between families and staff, both at the bedside and virtually.

Interested in getting involved?

Check out our feature in the WTVR CBS 6 news broadcast: