This year, 9 students at the Lew Family Secondary School in Melbourne, Australia got a firsthand taste of the important work of medical clowns involved in the Medical Clown program at Hadassah Hospital in Israel, when Ros Ben-Moshe, a laughter wellness expert and lecturer in the School of Public Health at La Trobe University, Melbourne, ran a laughter yoga session.
The students heard about the vital role played by Medical Clowns at Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, which were first introduced at Hadassah in 2002 to reduce trauma in children admitted to the children’s ward. The Medical Clowns not only assist with individual patients but create a light atmosphere throughout the hospital which contributes to a reduction in the level of stress and allows staff to manage procedures quickly and smoothly.