Hadassah Medical Clowns: Laughter Heals
At Hadassah, in addition to providing our young patients with the highest level of medical treatment and personal care, we do everything possible to help the child. One of the special programs we have here at Hadassah is our Medical Clown Program – because laughter is important medicine.
A child cries and refuses an injection, another cannot be calmed before her operation, a third will not eat or raise his arm for their physiotherapy treatment. Medical clowns achieve results at times when doctors and nurses cannot. They stay with a child only when invited, helping the children to conquer their fears and gain some control in a frightening environment, allowing them to forget their illness for a brief moment.
Clowns are present in our pediatric in-patient and intensive care units, outpatient clinics, acute-care waiting rooms, physical therapy department, bone marrow transplantand burns and pediatric AIDS units, reminding young patients that they are more than just their illness.
“Clown care” is now considered an invaluable asset in pediatrics. Israel has become a global leader in the field. Thanks to the generosity of concerned donors, Hadassah’s clowns have shown again and again the healing power of humor.
How You Can Help
Hadassah’s Medical Clown project is totally funded by your individual donations. A gift of $45 will allow a clown to help a child for one hour. $360 will provide the services of a clown for a day.
Harness the power of laughter. Your donation will Help Hadassah’s Clowns Heal.
Contribute to Hadassah’s promise to serve the people of Israel—and the world—for the next hundred years with world-class healing and research.
“The hospital clowns have made an extraordinary impact. They help acutely ill children lose their fear of hospitalization and treatment…they open the way for the medical staff as well.”
Prof. Dan Engelhard
