What do Gloria Gaynor, Whitney Houston, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dusty Springfield and Melissa Manchester have in common with a hospital's milestone celebration?
On the surface, nothing. In a way, however, voices rising in tribute to those great singers is a big part of what's happening at University Community Hospital this week.
Forty years ago, University Community Hospital started amid dirt roads and trees with one building on the corner of Fletcher Avenue and what is now Bruce B. Downs.
Today, University Community Health consists of four hospitals, a fifth under construction and a long-term care facility on the drawing board. It has centers of excellence for cancer, pediatrics, women's health, diabetes and orthopedics.
Hospital officials insist, however, it's not measured by buildings, but by people.
"We want everybody to see we do hold our employees up as the success of our organization," said Jim Hackman, the hospital's corporate vice president. "They're the reason we've had 40 years of success and the sole reason we're gong to have 40 more years of success."
UCH's weeklong celebration concludes with a rousing private party Saturday. The more than 3,000 employees will undoubtedly revel in the centerpiece, an employee hospital talent show.
Enter the aforementioned singers. Well, make that Karen Francis, Patrice Resto, Cheryl Evangelista, Sharon Clark and Patti Albrechta.
The five made the finals of the hospital's UCH Has Got Talent competition and will perform before colleagues on Saturday. As one of the judges who narrowed the field, I can tell you the hospital definitely has talent, and I'm not just talking about saving lives.
My personal favorite was Evangelista, whose rendition of Someone to Watch Over Me conjured visions of Pfeiffer's Susie Diamond character in The Fabulous Baker Boys.
Resto took on the daunting challenge of Houston's One Moment in Time. Performing Whitney songs can be a hit-or-miss proposition, but Resto hit.
Francis dolled up, including a feather boa, for Gaynor's disco epic I Will Survive. Clark channeled Springfield with Son of a Preacher Man and Albrechta turned in a stirring rendition of Manchester's Through the Eyes of Love.
So who's going to win it all? The hospital employees and volunteers who deserve a good time.
When it comes to University Community employees and health care workers in general, we too often take them for granted. Think about the last time you went to the doctor or the last time you received quality care at a hospital. How big was your thank you? How broad was your gratitude?
Of course, if you wait too long in the emergency room or the nurse doesn't bring you a pillow in 1.2 seconds, they hear about it then. Certainly, people in a life-or-death business have to be held accountable, but the everyday victories need to be celebrated.
I hope UCH's musical quintet turns in the performance of its life on Saturday, and I hope every other doctor, employee and volunteer joins in the chorus. The hospital's 40th anniversary, as well as its day-to-day triumphs, are worth singing about.
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