{"id":47285,"date":"2020-12-18T17:09:43","date_gmt":"2020-12-18T17:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=47285"},"modified":"2020-12-18T17:09:45","modified_gmt":"2020-12-18T17:09:45","slug":"from-icu-to-itunes-the-intensive-care-staff-going-for-a-christmas-number-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2020\/12\/18\/from-icu-to-itunes-the-intensive-care-staff-going-for-a-christmas-number-one\/","title":{"rendered":"From ICU to iTunes: the intensive care staff going for a Christmas number one"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">THE race for this year\u2019s Christmas number one is on and all the usual suspects are involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Mariah Carey\u2019s \u2018<em>All I Want For Christmas Is You<\/em>\u2019 is being played far and wide, LadBaby is aiming for a third successive triumph and the likes of Justin Bieber, Jess Glynne and Liam Gallagher have all released festive singles in the last few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But standing alongside those big names are the true stars of 2020 \u2013 a choir made up of ICU staff from around the UK. An 115-strong ensemble have recorded their version of The Police\u2019s 1983 track \u2018<em>Every Breath You Take<\/em>\u2019, with some of the lyrics changed to reflect their experiences in what has been an incredibly challenging year. All proceeds from the song will go towards a mental health and wellbeing fund to support NHS staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load\" title=\"Every breath you take (we watch over you) The ICU Liberty Singers\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"about:blank\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pm3z0qoDbo8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><noscript><iframe title=\"Every breath you take (we watch over you) The ICU Liberty Singers\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pm3z0qoDbo8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Nearly 20 per cent of the choir hail from Wales, with 22 staff members from the University Hospital of Wales and the Royal Glamorgan Hospital involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah Carpenter, an ITU nurse from the University Hospital of Wales is one of them. \u201cWhen I was in school I used to sing a lot,\u201d she says. \u201cI was in a choir and did a lot of shows. But since I left high school I haven\u2019t really done that much, so it has been nice to get back into it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For others, singing has always just been a hobby. Angharad Rees was an ITU nurse for 13 years before becoming a critical care outreach nurse. But she was called back to intensive care at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital at the start of the year as the pandemic took hold.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m more of a karaoke queen. The car is my arena!\u201d she laughs. \u201cWe have the radio on in the ward when we can and it always lifts morale to have a singalong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea of a choir was first suggested in mid-November by Liberty Singers choir director Kari Olsen-Porthouse. Alison Pittard, Dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine quickly got on board, and tweeted out a sign up link which received 150 responses within 48 hours. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t really know what I was signing up for,\u201d Angharad says. \u201cBut I when I joined the Zoom group for the first time and saw all these people from all over the country who have been experiencing the same things as me, it was just so nice.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47312\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/angharad-rees-1-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-770x1154.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-500x749.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-293x439.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final.png 1001w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47312\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/angharad-rees-1-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-770x1154.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-500x749.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final-293x439.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-1-final.png 1001w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47314\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/angharad-rees-2-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-770x1154.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-500x749.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-293x439.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final.png 1001w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47314\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/angharad-rees-2-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-770x1154.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-500x749.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final-293x439.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Angharad-Rees-2-final.png 1001w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\">Angharad Rees was called back to intensive care at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital at the start of the year as the pandemic took hold.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle Smalley, a Critical Care Clinical Psychologist at the Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles Hospitals, said: \u201cI joined the choir quite by accident when our ITU Consultant texted me the join link which I blindly clicked on, not knowing what it was. When I realised I&#8217;d joined a virtual ITU choir I was secretly thrilled as I&#8217;ve always wanted to be part of choir but wasn&#8217;t brave enough to audition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the plan was not always to release a single. When the group first met over Zoom on November 25, it was an opportunity for some respite from the gruelling shifts that ICU staff have faced all year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs a psychologist, I know that singing has been shown to improve our sense of&nbsp;happiness and wellbeing,\u201d Michelle says. \u201cResearch shows that people feel more positive after actively singing than they do after just listening to music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignright\"><blockquote><p>For an hour a week, we\u2019re not ITU nurses. We\u2019re singers.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSinging is immensely powerful for helping establish and maintain good mental health,\u201d echoes choir director Kari. \u201cSomething really special happens when we sing together and the effect is even more powerful.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere is a sense of belonging, and a sense of a team working to deliver something beautiful.&nbsp; That perfectly captures the strength and teamwork of ICU staff this year and the chance to give them something back and recognise their phenomenal efforts is a privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah says she has really felt the mental benefits of being part of the choir: \u201cIt\u2019s really relaxing. Singing always makes me feel good. It\u2019s been nice just to get away from everything for an hour every Wednesday and sing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-682x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47315\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/sarah-carpenter-1-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-682x1024.png 682w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-770x1156.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-500x751.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-293x440.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final.png 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-682x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47315\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/sarah-carpenter-1-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-682x1024.png 682w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-770x1156.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-500x751.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final-293x440.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-1-final.png 999w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47313\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/sarah-carpenter-2-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-770x1155.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-500x750.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-293x440.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final.png 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"47313\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/sarah-carpenter-2-final\/\" class=\"wp-image-47313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-770x1155.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-500x750.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final-293x440.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Sarah-Carpenter-2-final.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\">Sarah Carpenter is an ITU nurse at the University Hospital of Wales<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea to release a single quickly emerged, and after only two hour-long Zoom sessions, it had been decided that the choir would take on \u2018<em>Every Breath You Take<\/em>\u2019 \u2013 with Sony granting them permission to record the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Befitting of social distancing, each member recorded a part of the track on their own at home using just headphones and their mobile phone, with the help of an online video of Olsen-Porthouse conducting. All of the individual recordings were then mixed and layered together in her home studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEveryone said they weren\u2019t very good singers, so I was really impressed when I heard the finished song for the first time,\u201d Sarah says. \u201cI was surprised at how quickly it came together!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignleft\"><blockquote><p>The song includes a plea <span style=\"letter-spacing: 0em;background-color: initial\">not to let levels rise further.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The song was made personal to ICU staff after NHS Digital Programme Director Jackie Shears carefully re-worded some of the lyrics to express what the last nine exhausting months have been like for staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New lines includes \u2018Every night you stay \/ We watch over you\u2019 and \u2018Since this bug we\u2019ve been here without a fail \/ Finding treatments and care to save the day\u2019. There are references to ventilation, face masks and vaccinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jackie says: \u201cI really wanted to recognise that while we are all frustrated by the restrictions, ICU staff have had minimal respite since March, have continued to provide high levels of care and professionalism, identifying treatments and working out how best to care for incredibly unwell people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe second wave comes at the end of an unprecedented year, without let up \u2013 so the song includes a plea on their behalf not to let levels rise further and create any more demand than is necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1024x512.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-770x385.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-585x293.png 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1170x585.png 1170w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2.png 1500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-293x147.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1400x700.png 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1024x512.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-770x385.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-585x293.png 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1170x585.png 1170w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2.png 1500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-293x147.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/12\/Lyrics-graphic-2-1400x700.png 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For the choir, it was a powerful moment when they found out about the new lyrics. \u201cIt really hit me when we all heard the song in its entirety for the first time,\u201d Angharad says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou could see on the Zoom call that everyone was just still, taking it all in. It was such a poignant moment. I had to take a deep breath to try not to get emotional. All the lyrics really encapsulate how you feel when you\u2019re looking after these really sick patients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah adds: \u201cIt was the line \u2018Your family says that it\u2019s you they can\u2019t replace\u2019 that really got to me. That has a lot of meaning for me, having seen what a devastating impact the virus has had on people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So to the battle for Christmas number one. The choir are currently as high as 9\/4 with some bookmakers to take the crown, despite the song only being released today (Friday 18 December).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a year of unrelenting and unimaginable challenges for ICU staff, reaching top spot would mean it can end on a positive note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignright\"><blockquote><p>This is the toughest year I have ever had in intensive care.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is the toughest year I have ever had in intensive care,\u201d Angharad says. \u201cIt\u2019s been sad, depressing and really tough. Sometimes you walk out of the hospital and long for your days off because you wonder how much more you can take. It\u2019s been so hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf we got to number one, I think it would give all ICU workers a lift, regardless of whether they are in the choir or not, because they could say \u2018that\u2019s what I do\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut number one or no number one, it\u2019s been brilliant to do and a great experience. I hope that the choir carries on after this because the Wednesday Zoom sessions are like therapy in themselves. We can smile together and forget about work for that short period of time. For an hour a week, we\u2019re not ITU nurses. We\u2019re singers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On shift, they are ITU nurses. For an hour, they are singers. Every day, they are real life superheroes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2018Every Breath You Take (We Watch Over You)\u2019 by the ICU Liberty Singers is out now on all music services. All money raised will go towards a fund, managed through the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, to provide mental health and wellbeing support for staff.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/orcd.co\/lwnv105\">Download the single now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welsh doctors and nurses are part of a nationwide Zoom choir aiming for a different kind of viral. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":541,"featured_media":47293,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,14,6848],"tags":[6933,6932,477,1374],"coauthors":[6733],"class_list":["post-47285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-longer-reads","category-spirit-of-cardiff","tag-christmas-number-one","tag-icu","tag-royal-glamorgan-hospital","tag-university-hospital-of-wales"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>From ICU to iTunes: the intensive care staff going for a Christmas number one - The Cardiffian<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Welsh doctors and 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