Clown Doctors (The Humour Foundation)

The Humour Foundation is an organisation of expertly trained performers who bring laughter, joy and connection to children and their families in hospitals right around Australia.
 
Clown Doctors™ is The Humour Foundation’s flagship program - bringing laughter where it is unexpected, but most needed. Since 1998 Clown Doctors have worked in partnership with medical and health professionals to divert children and young people during painful procedures, help calm and distract in emergency department settings, encourage positivity and resilience during physio and occupational therapy, and generally improve outcomes in what is often a stressful, anguished environment.
 
Working in pairs, Clown Doctors visit wards, pediatric and neo-natal intensive care units, accident and emergency departments, waiting areas, adolescent mental health and various clinics including burns, fractures, and oncology. 60+ professionally trained Clown Doctor performers regularly visit 22+ hospitals across Australia. 

International research and studies prove the numerous physiological and psychological benefits of laughter to health and wellbeing. Humour is an effective coping strategy, relieving fear, stress and pain, and has positive effects on the cardiovascular, immune and respiratory systems.

The Clown Doctors program is delivered free of charge to hospitals and we rely on the kind support of individuals, communities and sponsors. Thank you for helping to deliver 'doses' of fun to kids in hospital, proving that Laughter Is The Best Medicine!