Doctors to Rock Out for Charity

On November 10, six bands will compete for the title of Doctor Idol Tampa Bay at Palm Harbor's Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club.

Each band is complete with a local physician and the funds raised will be donated to skin cancer awareness and prevention efforts. 

Local celebrities will fill the roles of judges and event emcee.

The event is being presented by the Florida Hospital North Pinellas and the Helen Ellis Memorial Foundation.

During the event, each band will perform for 15 minutes. Then, celebrity judges will give their critiques and allow audience members to cast votes. Celebrity judges will include Eric Deggans, Tampa Bay Times TV/media critic;Ron Diaz, 620 WDEA The Sports Animal radio host; and Shannon Magrane, American Idol Season 11 finalist. Local Fox 13 reporter Charley Belcher will join the event as the celebrity emcee. Nathalie Hernandez, local resident who recently appeared on NBC’s The Voice, will also be joining one of the bands as a guest singer.

“Watching physicians rock out on stage will make for an entertaining night and benefit a great cause,” said Terry Smither, executive director of the Helen Ellis Memorial Foundation. “Performing in front of everyone just shows how dedicated these physicians really are to helping the community.” 

Doctor Idol is raising funds for Operation Sunshine, a skin cancer awareness and prevention effort lead by Florida Hospital North Pinellas. Operation Sunshine will include a mobile unit, vehicle courtesy of Sun Toyota, which will provide screenings and information to residents throughout northern Pinellas and western Pasco counties. 

“Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and one person dies of melanoma almost every hour,” said Dr. Douglas Reintgen, a world-renowned surgical oncologist at The West Coast Medical Group Surgical Institute, a service of Florida Hospital North Pinellas. “These efforts will help with early detection and prevention efforts that will hopefully save more lives in our community.” 

Individual tickets for Doctor Idol are $200 and include a music-inspired dinner. Group and corporate tables are also available. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets at DoctorIdolTampaBay.org or by calling (727) 943-3651. Individuals can vote in advance for their favorite Doctor Idol by visiting the website.