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Brotherly Love: Doctors Giving The Gift Of Song

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- What's your doctor doing after hours? Some doctors are giving back in ways you might not expect. What started as a jam session has turned into an international music project and an effort to raise funds for families who need it.

Fourteen-month-old Matthew has a congenital heart defect that left him with half a heart. Dr. Gil Wernovsky is just one of the medical professionals treating him at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"He's waiting for the gift of life," said Dr. Wernovsky.

Dr. Wernovsky has a passion for helping children. He also has a passion for music. He plays piano and helps organize the Baby Blue Sound Collective, pediatric cardiologists and other medical professionals who started playing music together at conferences. Lots of CHOP employees pitched in. Dr. Jeffrey Boris plays bass.

"We do quite an eclectic mix of songs," said Dr. Boris. "We do show tunes, we do jazz, we do old rock tunes."

The musical team even did a show at World Cafe Live.

Their homemade videos ended up on YouTube to the delight of Seth Barmash. Seth himself has congenital heart problems. He's also a music producer. He offered to help the Sound Collective produce a CD to raise money for Spencer's Fund.


"There's so many people who can't afford to pay their hospital bills, not only their hospital bills but grocery bills, utilities, rent," said Barmash.

"We can actually help the families in a totally different way," said Dr. Boris.

"To be able to help with that?" said Dr. Wernovsky. "That's better than anything we've ever played or sang."

With Seth's help, thirty medical professionals from across the country and as far away as Australia recorded Songs for Spencer.

Baby Blue Sound Collective has another show coming up May 9 at World Cafe Live.

You can buy the CD at The Congenital Heart Information Network, www.tchin.org.

Reported by Dave Huddleston, CBS 3

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