Turning Music Into Moments of Healing and Connection

The first musical note is never just a note.  

At Moffitt Cancer Center, it can bring comfort, ease anxiety and create connection in life’s most difficult moments. 

A first note drifts quietly into a hospital room. It is soft, steady, intentional.  

For a moment, the monitors fade into the background. The tension eases. Patients take a breath. 

These are the moments Lloyd Goldstein has spent years creating.  

Goldstein serves as an artist-in-residence in the Arts in Medicine Program at Moffitt, using music to connect with patients, families and team members during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.  

Before coming to Moffitt, Goldstein spent 21 years performing with the Florida Orchestra as a professional bassist. A call to do something more service-oriented ultimately led him to the cancer center, where he first volunteered before becoming a certified music practitioner. He has now spent 19 years as part of the Arts in Medicine team. 

This year, he is being recognized in a meaningful way as the inaugural recipient of the Patti K. Halula Legacy Award. 

Honoring Compassion 

The award honors team members who embody compassion, kindness and humility, values championed by Patti Halula, a dedicated patient and family advisor who worked to ensure every patient felt heard and supported. The award recognizes those who go beyond their roles to make a difference in the patient experience. 

“Receiving this award is so far beyond what I would have expected,” Goldstein said. “It makes me feel extremely valued and reminds me what a family this is.” 

Colleagues say Goldstein’s presence is what sets him apart. 

“He chose to share his talents here with those who need it most,” said Amanda Bonanno, coordinator of the Arts in Medicine Program. “And he does it with great care, deep affection and uncontainable joy.” 

Building Connection  

Goldstein’s approach is simple, but powerful. He is known for listening first, meeting patients where they are and offering exactly what each moment calls for, whether that is a song, a conversation or simply his presence. 

“When playing music, the main thing is to connect,” he said. “You have a short time to understand what someone needs… and meet them there.” 

That ability to connect, quickly, intuitively and deeply, is what sets him apart. Over the years, those moments have added up to something profound. Goldstein has built relationships with patients, supported families through grief and brought comfort in situations where words often fall short. 

Today, his connection to Moffitt has taken on an even deeper meaning. In addition to his role as a caregiver, he is also a patient, undergoing treatment for brain cancer. 

“My connection to Moffitt is stronger than I ever could have imagined,” Goldstein said. “Being on both sides, as someone who cares for patients and now as a patient myself, has given me a profound respect for every moment I spend here. When things feel difficult, I think about my patients. They inspire me.” 

Goldstein’s work continues to center on those small but powerful moments of connection. 

As the first recipient of the Patti K. Halula Legacy Award, he sets the tone for what the award represents: not just excellence in work, but compassion in action and in every note.