What is a Hospital Clown?

What is a Hospital Clown?

Hospital clowns, while still a somewhat unexpected sight in the healthcare setting, have been performing in these environs for nearly 30 years. In the last 20 years, the scene has undergone changes with the addition of performers in magic, music, puppetry, juggling, and pet therapy, to name but a few of the offerings. While hospital clowns have been roaming the halls of hospitals and healthcare facilities for almost 30 years, they are still a surprising, and unexpected site to many.

Humor in the healthcare setting is not new, but the practice of it has been gaining momentum over the last 30 years. Much research has been done to study the positive effects of humor on the body. Armed with an understanding of the health benefits of humor, hospitals and healthcare facilities have implemented humor programs, and brought in the clowns.

The question “What is a Hospital Clown?” is still often asked, and so we thought it would be answered best by those who often engage in this ‘work’ that only looks like play…

Deb "Giggles" Foy

“A caring clown is a clown who engages children, staff and visitors with playfulness and sillyness to help them escape their troubles. To positively affect anyone and everyone they come in contact with.”

~ Deb “Giggles” Foy, clowns most often with Caring Clowns International, and is usually found clowning around at these facilities: Children’s hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI; West Bloomfield Convalescent Home, MI; Autumnwood, Livonia, MI; Manns of Farmington, MI. Deb serves as a board member of Caring Clowns International.

Paul Kleinberger

“I view a hospital clown as a clown arts professional who changes the normal hospital environment with a little color, a little laughter and a lot of love in action.”

~ Paul “Dr. Kidding, Jest Kidding” Kleinberger, clowns most often at these facilities: Albany Memorial, Albany, NY; Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY; Ellis Hospital, Schenectady, NY. Paul is a Board Member of Clowns On Rounds, Inc. He typically appears in local hospitals and health care centers by private invitation only.

“A gentle spirit open to listen and provide a respite from the pain or fear in a healthcare facility.”

Leslie Gibson

~ Leslie “Happe” Gibson, clowns most often with The Comedy Connection, and may be seen in action at the hospital and hospice,  most often at: Morton Plant Hospital, Mease Hospitals, and Suncoast Hospice. Leslie founded The Comedy Connection in 1990.

Robin "Robbo" Burg

“A hospital/caring clown brings joy in small doses that go along way. We take the person out of their present circumstance at the time of our visit…and maybe longer, with the memory of our visit.”

~ Robin “Robbo” Burg laments: ‘I am a troupe of one :0( ‘ “Robbo” may be a one-clown troupe (for now), but she is blazing the trail by regularly sharing generous doses of humor most often at: West Los Angeles Veteran’s Hospital, Friendship Circle, and also makes home visits. “Robbo” clowned around with Patch Adams in Russia on a humanitarian clowning trip in November, 2010.

Cheryl "Sparkle" Oberg

“A therapeutic clown is a specially-trained professional clown who works in health-care settings to bring laughter, companionship and delight to patients and their families. His or her playful interactions are empowering and therapeutic for the spirit, allowing children and their families to better cope with their hospitalization and treatment on an inpatient and out patient basis. There are many ways that clowns work in health-care settings worldwide.

They may work solo, in pairs or sometimes even in small groups. Some programs are volunteer-based (often called “caring clowns”); while others like the ACH employ their clowns professionally. Unlike party, circus, or theatrical clowning, therapeutic clowning at ACH is not oriented to performance or entertainment but may use performance and entertainment as part of the interaction with the patient family. Each therapeutic clown works individually with their own patient families and group play rooms, establishing one-on-one play relationships with patients and their families providing them with opportunities to create imaginary play world’s, to laugh together and simply to have fun.“

~ Cheryl “Sparkle” Oberg, Alberta Children’s Hospital Employee, http://www.cheryloberg.com

Click to hear Kathy "Huggles" McLaughlin on AHeart4Clowning TalkRadio Show!

Kathy “Huggles” McLaughlin talks about “What is a Hospital Clown… a Caring Clown… a Therapeutic Clown” on AHeart4Clowning TalkRadio Show (click link here)