Healing Humor Memorable Moment: Beyond Imagination – Heartfelt Wish Magically Granted!

Have you ever noticed how children often teach grown-ups how important they are in their lives, and to appreciate even the smallest of things? A little girl’s deepest heartfelt wish was magically granted, as she lay in a cancer hospital ward…

Healing Humor Memorable Moments in Their Own Words: This episode features reknowned creative designer Richard “Design-O” Smith sharing a heart-rendering memory about a little girl — a heartfelt wish, following her cancer treatment — and how the little girl’s wish was magically granted beyond anyone’s wildest imagination!

More Healing Humor Most Memorable Moments — and More… http://youtube.com/HealingHumor

'Being there' isn't enough.

Hospital clowns, caring clowns and healthcare family entertainers exist to perform in their venue on the world’s smallest stage. Their entertainment is often at a patient’s bedside, to an audience comprised of one. The act usually debuts in real time, right before their eyes and will likely never be performed quite the same way again.

In most cases, the focus is on the patient because the reason for being there is to brighten their day and lessen their pain if at all possible, through an unexpected interlude of joy and levity. But “being there” is not enough.

“Getting there” may seem a nearly unsurmountable task for most, especially if you are a family entertainer who is wishing, waiting and hoping to become involved in a healthcare humor program. Sometimes, persevering through the seemingly endless maze of training and testing to begin rounds may feel overwhelming. I realize this, but once arriving at the facility for rounds again I say — “being there” is not enough.

Next: How patients are empowered when entertaining in the healthcare setting…

]]> http://www.aheart4clowning.com/2010/06/24/hospital-clownshealthcare-family-entertainers-which-comes-first-patient-or-the-act/feed/ 0 http://www.aheart4clowning.com/2010/05/27/through-patients-eyes-seeing-things-differently/ http://www.aheart4clowning.com/2010/05/27/through-patients-eyes-seeing-things-differently/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 13:20:49 +0000 Becky Cortino http://www.aheart4clowning.com/?p=963

Performers sometimes must change their tune! On rounds, often -- if not always, patients inspire!

On rounds, often — if not always, patients inspire! They inspire the perfect joke, schtick or new thought. Coming from the audience’s perspective, this precious insight helps the hospital or caring clown, and healthcare family entertainer do their important work. You know – the ‘work’ that looks like ‘play,’ — as in Applied Humor Therapy.

Longtime entertainers in the hospital or healthcare setting have many memorable moments resulting from captivating folk they meet throughout their meandering journey. These stories and experiences leave indelible heartprints. After the chance encounter, we are never the same, and are immeasurably blessed…

We entered his room gently. He welcomed us in with warm resolution to enjoy this most unexpected visit. He propped himself up for a better view of the spectacle about to take place — that being our meager offering of a performance we tailor to our perceived patient’s receptivity and condition.

After introducing our clown-selves and chatting on a bit, we offered some random fun, as an interlude to the dull sameness surrounding him in his hospital room. My clown partner-not-in-mime plays song requests on her handcrafted kazoo instrument. Upon finishing her piece, he was visibly touched.

The patient shared with us that he couldn’t see so well out of one eye and was blind in the other. He concentrated hard on seeing us, and he heard us just fine! While he didn’t fill us in on what brought him into the hospital, he shared that the experience had led him to see things differently, now. In fact so differently, he knew major life changes were about to take place. He expressed his openess to these changes, embracing them as what he will do for the rest of his life. He shared with us that he did not know where this would take him in this world, but he would go and serve, and do whatever it was to be.

This really touched our hearts, because when we visit patients, they are usually in a dark place, facing test results, surgery, or scary medical procedures. What struck us was that no matter what this gentleman had been through, he was facing a Great Unknown once out of the hospital — and welcoming it! We had a wonderful conversation, and he shared with us his heart-thoughts and thanked us for what we do. He said it means more to others than we would ever know.

Words of patients stay in our hearts and minds a long time — they mean so much. To see a patient so bravely face a totally new life once discharged from the hospital after an obvious life-changing experience, is awe-inspiring!

Do you have a Most memorable Caring Clown Story to share? We would love to hear and share your experience here on AHeart4Clowning.com! Wanta share your story? For submission details, click this link (here)

The health benefits of applied humor therapy have long been recognized, supported by scientific studies and the medical community.

A true visionary, Saturday Review Editor Norman Cousins, is credited as the forerunner in this aspect, treating his painful health condition with doses of humor 46 years ago, long before contemporary thought recognized and embraced this powerful, effective therapy.

Based on a growing understanding of the associated health benefits, humor programs, hospital clowns, caring clowns and healthcare family entertainers are becoming more mainstream, although they are still not widely-available at a majority of facilities.

Here are 7 reasons why healthcare facilities need to host an in-house humor program:

1) Humor and laughter make significant contributions to both physical and mental health conditions of all who receive applications of Applied Humor Therapy, by:

• Strengthening the immune system
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Reducing pain, stress and anxiety
• Creating a more positive perspective and optimistic mood

These are but a few of the benefits associated with generous doses of Applied Humor Therapy to the recipient, with undoubtedly a residual spillover-effect to all observing the spectacle, as well as the therapist. In the truest sense, humor program participants are part of the hosting facility’s Wellness Team.

2) It’s Critical Care: Patients are always the primary focus during visitations. In the healthcare setting, the mission is to do nothing more than cheer the patients through a gentle presence, as a means of taking the patient’s mind off their current health condition or painful situation.

Success is measured if only for just a second, after entering the patient’s room they can forget or not think about their condition, through humorous intervention. They are drawn into the performance, become a part of it, empowered to assist, or even refuse a visit.

3) Lift Spirits: Visitors may be treated to entertainment in the patient’s rooms, or sometimes caught by surprise in the hallways, waiting rooms, elevators and lobby. Depending upon the situation or mood, the visitors may become the center of attention, if the patient is unable, and it seems the visitors need a cheerful interlude.

4) Uplift: Staff often welcomes joy-filled, comedic stress-relieving moments. Entertaining the staff at the nurse’s station and in the hallways as time and schedule allow, can become a much-anticipated adventure.

5) Build a Rep for Caring and Taking a Personal Approach: Great good will is established and excellent community relations are cemented when a program is well-executed and becomes well-known for this ‘work’ that-looks like play.

6) It is NOT Rocket Science to Set Up a Program: It can easily and should be be tailored to the hosting facility’s needs. With willing volunteers, the program cost can be next-to-nothing, with greater returns than any monies ever expended.

7) Add an Element of Joy and Wonder Where It’s Least Expected – Most Needed: As an added perk to a facility’s amenities, available at low-cost for the far-reaching effects on all people who come into contact with the program in action.

Does your healthcare facility have a Humor Program?

Is the staff at your healthcare facility:

• Supported by an established in-house Humor Program?
• Provided the tools and knowledge for Applied Humor Therapy in the healthcare setting?

Whatever stage of development or operation your Humor Program may be, there are lots of articles, resources, and links included on this site to assist. Please feel free to explore and check out what is offered here to help the cause of injecting Healing Humor in the healthcare setting.

My heartfelt mission is very simple: I want to help further clown arts and humor programs in hospitals and healthcare settings globally. Together in the collective sense, we are doing that – but I strive to encourage it on a much broader scale than what we are currently doing.

Please let me know how I can help you… feel free to contact me, or to submit your question by way of this online Contact Form (click this link)

MultiMedia Resources on: Applied Humor Therapy, Healing Humor, Establishing a Hospital Clown or Healthcare Family Entertainer Group, Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting. More info on materials written, produced and published by me: click this link (here)

Here’s a great read on Humor in the Hospital, click on this link here

Michael Christensen, Founder of Big Apple Circus Clown Care

All eyes will be on Center Ring at AHeart4Clowning TalkRadio Show on Wednesday, May 12th 1:00PM EDT, for a very special interview with Michael Christensen, Co-Founder and Creative Director of the Big Apple Circus and Founder of Big Apple Circus Clown Care.  Big Apple Circus Clown Care, acknowledged as the first and original hospital clowning program in the world, was launched in 1986. The program is based on Michael’s desire to provide a unique service to children undergoing treatment in pediatric facilities. He will share his insights on hospital clowning and entertaining in the healthcare setting.

He has taught workshops all over the world in the new profession of hospital clowning, which his work has inspired. He has also lectured to the medical communities of the nation’s major pediatric hospitals. For his work with Clown Care^SM, Michael has received the Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Award, the Red Skelton Community Service Award, the Golden Nose award from the Northeast Clown Convention, the Parenting Achievement Award from Parenting magazine, and was inducted into the Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame.

The show airs live at 1:00PM EDT Thursday, May 12th, will be recorded and available for download from the show archive. Tune in for insight and inspiration!

You can set a “show reminder” and listen online here:      http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aheart4clowningtalkradio/2010/05/12/big-apple-circus-clown-care-with-michael-christensen

Listen to the show streaming L-I-V-E, or catch this show after the broadcast, from the archive.

Totally A-M-A-Z-I-N-G inspiring story about Chad Juro’s battle with cancer as a young child, now performing for sick children!

Featured in the series: “Real American Stories.”

Performers sometimes must change their tune!

By the nature of their performance venue, hospital clowns and healthcare family entertainers must be versatile and quick on their feet. The personality traits of these special entertainers embody the true heart of a performer, with care and compassion for their audience.

The joy-filled interlude from a patient’s present situation at it’s best, usually appears spontaneous and sometimes even random. It may be spur-of-the-moment, or well-rehearsed, incorporating a number of possible outcomes with different avenues that may be taken. At final bow, the end result of the mini-production is always a special presentation just for that audience.   

Sometimes further performer versatility is required by the venue itself, due to new regulations, procedures or newly-discovered potential risks. In case of of Swine Flu, new procedures were adopted at some facilities, while others cancelled Rounds until the epidemic was over. Either scenario causes a change in operations and modus operandi, doesn’t it?

In the case of new procedures or regulations, hospital clowns and healthcare family entertainers usually have to adapt their act or performance to conform. This change sometimes causes a major revision in the actual presentation, to fall within the prevailing guidelines. All segments of a presentation may have to be reworked or retooled accordingly to comply.

Hospital clowning is known to be one of the most difficult disciplines, due to the great number of regulations and restrictions surrounding the performer’s very existence in the setting.  A performer in the healthcare venue has to be versatile in relation to the audience as well as to the setting in which they entertain. None of the conditions, observers nor the environment are ever set.

When a change in procedure or protocol causes an entertainer to revise their performance, this gives them an opportunity to become more proficient in the art, to develop a new presentation, and to become more professional in the process.  

Facility policy changes may require a healthcare performer to review their act and rewrite accordingly.

The challenge — and the benefit is actually 3-fold:

• Performance must comply with the newly-mandated practice or procedure parameters
• Presentation must effectively deliver entertainment and humor to the intended audience
• Performer learns a new method or means to produce and present in a fresh, new way

As  synonymous with the concept of “change,” sometimes entertainers get stuck in a rut and want to avoid revising their act. This stunts their development as a professional, keeping them fresh and learning ongoing, and withholds the needed relief and refreshment they could otherwise offer.

A Hospital or Caring Clown’s mission has always been to do nothing more than to cheer patients through a gentle presence as a means of taking the patient’s mind off their current health condition or painful situation.

Patients are always our primary focus during visitations.

The rule of the day in Rounds is simple is always best. If the patient is under heavy medication, he or she will not really be able to fully participate or grasp the concept of a long or intricate presentation. If a patient is able and seems a likely candidate, we perform nose transplants on the spot, with their visitors participating in the procedure. We often perform along with the visitors, drawing everyone into the act.

Sizing up the audience, including the patient’s condition and alertness, is the second rule of the day on Rounds. Analyzing the environment in the room also plays an important part in determining our performance – are there visitors? What is the mood in the room? Sometimes, our gentle presence is enough, with a smile and wave, to brighten a patient’s day. Sometimes that is all the energy they may have to take in what we can offer.

We entertain the staff at the nurse’s station and in the hallways, as schedule allows. The staff enjoys their joy-filled interlude and comedic stress-relieving moments with us.

Visitors are often treated to entertainment in the patient’s rooms, but sometimes we catch them by surprise in the hallways, waiting rooms, elevators and lobby.

Injecting Healing Humor in the Healthcare Setting: Through Hospital Clowns, Healthcare Family Entertainers and Applied Humor Therapists takes Heart, Dedication and Training but NOT a degree or special certification.

Recently, a professional family entertainer shared with me their discomfort with changing up their act, a personal reaction to meet more stringent guidelines now in place by a hosting healthcare facility.

Change in an act requires careful examination of many elements in the performance, not the least of which includes the entertainer. Even minor revisions take time, concentration and commitment to see the fine-tuning enhances, rather than adding unnecessary clutter, or possibly removing a key ingredient.

It is a well-known fact that people resist change every day, in every way. Artistic license and creativity are two areas to be respected. Based upon these two irrefutable truths, the professional family entertainer’s reaction is understandable, but gives others pause to wonder what the focus of their performance is — on the entertainer, or for the audience?

By the fact that family performers exist to entertain, it would seem no matter how talented, no performance occurs without the audience. Otherwise, they are merely practicing.

The purpose for hospital visitations, Clown Rounds or healthcare visits is not to “put on a show.” It is to relieve the pain, stress, loneliness or suffering experienced by the patient – the intended ’audience.’ If a “show” is presented, no real connection is made. Thus the ‘audience’ is really a mere spectator, not drawn into the the joy and wonder of the moment, away from their condition or situation.

Perhaps it is that playing with the audience, rather than to the audience is more difficult for some. Maybe performing a practiced routine to receive applause and admiration from all for incredible feats of skill are really what is being sought. Most new entertainers are robotic in their performances, being careful not to “lose their place” in a well-rehearsed act. The presence of any of these possible tendencies calls for an in-depth personal examination as to purpose and focus of an entertainer’s performance.

Hospital clowning is known to be one of the most highly-regulated clowning specialties, due to the protocols, procedures and mandated training. It defies logic to think it should be otherwise, risking life and limb, and spreading disease rather than laughter and cheer. Ignoring policies and best practices is a sure way to be banned from entertaining in any hospital or healthcare facility.  

As hospital clowns, caring clowns and healthcare family entertainers, we must do our important work within the guidelines and procedures presented. Health conditions and new developments in the field give rise to the opportunity of developing personally, and in performance in new, exciting ways. This provides an ever-changing framework to further develop professionally.

While the voiced concern of one professional family entertainer is understood, the ability of ‘thinking outside the box’ has been an ever-present element in the type of performances we do.

How are you retooling your performance to meet any new healthcare guidelines or protocols? Please let us know, by leaving a comment…