Darren Green: a man of many faces

Gasant Abader finds out how Darren Green balances being a radio personality, doctor, crooner and adventurer.

I have many nicknames for Dr Darren Green. I have called him Dr Alban, Dr Dre, Dr Suess and, at times, even Dr Hannibal Lecter. But in truth it would be a great disservice to his many talents to simply refer to Darren as a medical doctor. To the title of doctor you can add singer, TV and radio personality, motivational speaker and adventurer.

You would recognise Darren if you cast your mind back to the very first season of Idols where he became known as the singing doctor, made the top 50 of the hit TV reality show and progressed to the finals.

These days he holds down a job as a member of the emergency medical team of a prominent Cape Town private hospital, runs his own health and wellbeing practice, makes regular appearances on TV’s Expresso and Doctor’s Orders as a resident expert, appears on radio talkshows giving listeners medical advice, addresses corporate health workshops, writes the odd column for newspapers – including the Cape Argus – and websites, lectures medical students and pursues his passion for singing.

All this while playing a leading role as a husband and dad to two little boys.

At this very moment Darren is at sea as the ship’s doctor aboard the SA Agulhas II on another expedition.

Phew! So how does he fit it all in?

“I certainly have many passions in my life and it makes me feel alive to exercise them. Whether it be music, media, medicine or motivation – the question remains ‘what makes you happy’? For me the diversity adds spice to my life and I enjoy operating on different platforms.

“I think that I need all of these for enough stimulation and to give me a sense of balanced growth in my life. The tough part, however, is that learning to say ‘no’ is just as important as knowing when to say ‘yes’ – setting boundaries in our lives is essential to achieve any sort of excellence in any field. When we try and do too many things at once we can certainly compromise the standards.”

Darren’s Idols adventure began as a dare when his friends at the Hippokrates Koshuis at Stellenbosch University’s medical school challenged him to enter.

Later he had to choose between a career in music or medicine. It was a tough decision for a young man in his 20s to make.

“I was remembered as the singing doctor from Idols. I remember sending in my application five minutes before cut-off. I made the top 50 and then progressed to the final stages where I had loads of fun with Heinz Winckler, Bianca le Grange, Brandon October, Ezra Lingeveldt and Ayanda Nhlangothi, and still maintain contact with many of the finalists.

“I believe that all of us are blessed with skills and talents. For me, the grace lies therein: that instrumental people are placed on our journey through life to help us discover these gifts and we can consider ourselves blessed even further when our circumstances allow further development of our talent. For me, there have been many positive influences in my life, and for this I am truly grateful.

“I also thought that I must choose, but life is teaching me that sometimes the fact that you have different talents can be used to enhance your growth. More importantly, I believe that there are seasons in our lives where it can get really tough to juggle things. Sometimes that means priorities must change and focus is shifted, but never lose the love.

“Initially I felt so pressured to choose one or the other – I chose to finish medicine and later even decided to specialise in neurology. During this time I continued to work on my singing and music talents. I continued performing at corporate events and was coached by the renowned international tenor Lloyd Strauss-Smith and later attended UCT opera school to develop the voice and live out my passionate affair with music under the auspices of the dynamic personality and opera diva, Professor Virginia Davids.”

“I often get asked what I enjoy more – music and performing versus the medicine. My answer remains quite simple, being a professional performer involves much focus on you as an individual. Singing places you in the spotlight very often, but there are many facets to the dynamic of touching other people with your gifts.

“Medicine on the other hand involves very little about me as an individual but rather focuses a gift or skill used to help my fellow man – living outwardly. Many people will understand the reference to laying your head on the pillow at night, no matter how exhausted, feeling a sense of well-being and contentment, knowing that you contributed to humanity in some small way today.

“It’s about feeling significant in this world and knowing you have made a valuable contribution to somebody other than yourself.”

So what does a typical day look like for the doctor who gets around?

For Darren, the balance between family life and his career in medicine, music and media is crucial.

“I don’t know many husbands or parents that won’t do their best with what they have, for their children. Kids don’t do what you say, they do what you do. This implies that if you a desire positive influence on your family, you must spend time with them.

It’s easier said than done. Here is a typical 24-hour schedule for Darren: “I work a 12-hour emergency medicine shift followed by the rush home to bath and share a meal with my wife Monique and little men, Daniel, 6, and Matthew, 3, before they all fall asleep. Sometimes I get them so charged when I arrive that it takes a while for things to settle down.

“This is followed by the prep for a radio show – from 6am to 7am on Tuesday morning followed by my regular slot on the SABC3 Expresso breakfast show from 8am onwards as the resident health and wellness doctor. After TV engagements, I usually have meetings in the City Bowl and then leave to consult at my private practice where I try to inspire good health through a balanced lifestyle.

“The late afternoon and evening leads into my ER time till 10 pm – so Tuesday nights are certainly not movie nights for me.”

Darren’s gift is that he makes medical science accessible and demystifies difficult concepts for ordinary people to understand.

It is why he holds such appeal for TV and radio audiences. But his search for answers started at a young age when he lost his father to cancer. His mother made sure Darren would have the best education available.

“Medicine was on the cards for me since the age of 12. The real reason behind my decision might have to do with my unanswered questions after losing my father to cancer when I was barely 4 years old. My mother was widowed at the age of 26 and life as I knew it was still good.

“Later I discovered that my father, Edward Green, also wanted to study medicine but didn’t have the means to do so and channelled all his energy into the metal trade and worked as a youth leader, where he took broken youngsters with social and drug challenges off the street and taught them to express themselves in song. He would then take these gospel choirs and tour our country singing at various churches.

“I believe my love for music stems from a deep connection and appreciation from my late dad and my grandfather, John Eric Noel, who was a renowned saxophonist from Pietermaritzburg and entertained thousands with various lounge and brass bands.

“I was born in Pietermaritzburg and moved to Port Elizabeth where I matriculated at Grey High School and made use of every opportunity through an incredible school – developing an education well-rounded in sport, culture and academics. These incredible teachers and coaches helped me to achieve above and beyond my wildest dreams, to reach provincial level in athletics and rugby which opened up doors to study medicine at the University of Stellenbosch on a scholarship.

“I loved every minute of university and played competitive rugby for both Maties and Western Province. I had major feelings about stopping my studies in the final stages of the South African under-23s. My parents and an injury helped me decide on a career and studies at the time. It was a very tough turning point.

“I was smothered by love from a mother who taught me to live by faith daily and never doubt that God has a purpose for our lives. I was raised by the community of my mother, grandparents and friends.

“Later my love for sport and fascination with the human body drove me to follow through with the desire to become a doctor.”

Darren’s manic 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week schedule is temporarily on hold because he is currently also working as an external medical adviser to research missions being conducted by the Department of Environmental Affairs.

“I am currently on board the SA Agulhas II as the expedition doctor for the Tristan Da Cunha and Gough Islands – a five-week trip to a remote and beautiful group of islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. I look after passengers and crew on the ship and then spend some time on the island assisting with the training and setting up of medical facilities before we leave the annual team of researchers behind for the next 12 months. Science here looks at weather, birding, mammals and flora.

“I have also been chosen previously as the expedition doctor to accompany Sir Ranulph Fiennes from London down to Antarctica for his latest quest, “The Coldest Journey” expedition. It was to raise awareness of river blindness in Africa. It was an unforgettable experience.

“The rest of my adventure expeditions have been as voyage doctor to Marion Island on four previous occasions and this took us deep into the south-western Indian Ocean en route to Antarctica through some of the world’s roughest seas, the Roaring Forties.”

Singing is not just a hobby in Darren’s busy life. He has performed for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations, for the Desmond Tutu Foundation and recorded his first album, Inspire, at Abbey Road Studios in London with Geoffe Pesche who produced for Coldplay, Simon Webb and Kylie Minogue.

Darren performs his brand of lounge, swing and opera at exclusive black-tie and corporate events with live musicians.

In his media career, Darren lists his Safta nomination for best TV presenter for Doctor’s Orders as the highlight so far.

But the world has not seen it all from Darren and he feels he has a lot more to offer.

“The cherry on the cake would be to write a significant book soon and do some more live big band swing performances.

“The human experience is made so much fuller when it’s not alone – relationships are cornerstones in the journey and I am extremely excited and nervous about the future too. I strive towards trying to live less in the future and more in the moments of today so I don’t miss them or take them for granted.

“There are tons of things I still would love to learn and do. For now, I really am enjoying my family and what a challenge and responsibility to raise little men of valour for the future.”

* Gasant Abarder is editor of the Cape Argus.

Cape Argus