Charities & Causes

Clown Doctors & The Humour Foundation

Charities & Causes

Posted by: The Fog

30th Nov 2010 10:08am

The only worthwhile Charity that I now support on a regular basis is The Humour Foundation & its core project, the Clown Doctors. A couple of years ago, I saw a couple of the Clown Doctors attending a young girl with cancer & they had her laughing throughout her chemo preparations. It warmed up the cockles of my old heart.

The Humour Foundation, a national charity, was established in 1997 to promote the health benefits of humour. The Clown Doctors programs are established in all major children’s hospitals around Australia. Worldwide research has definitely demonstrated the health benefits of humour.

Clown Doctors attend to the psycho-social needs of the hospitalised child. They cleverly parody the hospital routine to help children adapt to being in a hospital. They distract children during painful or frightening procedures. They dispense doses of fun and laughter and help children forget for a moment that they are ill. Everyone benefits…patients, families and staff. Clown Doctors are highly skilled professionals and work in partnership with health professionals.

If anyone is interested in looking at their website it is http://www.humourfoundation.com.au/

I guess, unintentionally, I am breaking one of the four "Do Not" rules by "advertising" this Charity's existence. They really cannot afford advertising campaigns as, without any form of Government assistance, they rely upon public charity (at least it is tax deductible, I suppose).

pietam6
  • 4th Nov 2011 12:36pm

this is wonderful, and it is not just children who need distracting. Hospitals are not nice places! Regardless of why you are there, even visiting! Humor makes the world go around, and is so important! These people are magic... you are right, this charity should be at the forefront, is it proactive and positive...You could even accuse it of being life-affirming! We should all get behind this one!


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