Serious Medicine, Silly Faces: Where Laughter Meets Healing

Hospitals are places of healing, but for children and their families, they can also be environments filled with stress, fear, and uncertainty. Since 2019, the Foundation has proudly funded The Humour Foundation’s Clown Doctors program because we believe that clinical care should be complemented by emotional care. Clown Doctors play a vital role in transforming the hospital experience bringing laughter, play, and relief to young patients, their families, and even the healthcare teams who support them.

The Clown Doctors program is unique in its approach. These are not ordinary performers; they are highly trained professionals who use improvisation, music, physical comedy and empathy to connect with children in a way that no one else in the hospital can. Working closely with medical staff, they visit children in wards, treatment rooms, and emergency departments, tailoring their interactions to each child’s emotional and physical state.

The impact of Clown Doctors on children is immediate and powerful. Laughter reduces anxiety, eases tension and provides a positive focus during painful or frightening procedures. For children undergoing long-term treatment, these visits can offer a much-needed break from the intensity of medical routines restoring a sense of normalcy and helping them feel more like themselves.

But the benefits don’t stop with the child.

Parents and caregivers often experience intense emotional stress while supporting their child through illness or injury. A moment of shared laughter, or simply witnessing their child smile, can provide much-needed relief and a reminder that joy is still possible even in the hospital. In this way, Clown Doctors support the whole family’s wellbeing.

Perhaps less recognised, but just as important, is the impact Clown Doctors have on healthcare staff. Paediatric wards can be emotionally demanding spaces, and burnout is a very real concern. The presence of Clown Doctors not only lightens the mood but also strengthens rapport between medical teams and patients. By helping to reduce fear and create trust, Clown Doctors can make medical procedures smoother by enhancing cooperation and improving overall patient outcomes.

For 16 years, Laura Lloyd Jones, a Registered Nurse at Canberra’s Centenary Hospital for Women & Children (CHWC), has witnessed Clown Doctors like Dr Snooze, Dr Peekaboo, and Dr Holiday bring joy to the wards.

“Each of these three Clown Doctors are wonderful in their own individual way,” Laura shares. “Their ability to adapt to any given situation is so amazing.”

“The Clown Doctors are amazing,” she continues. “They not only lighten the mood of the patients but also bring immense joy to the entire staff.”

Laura recalls a moment in the fracture clinic with a young patient:

“I have never heard her laugh or seen her smile so much,” Laura remembers. “They pretended to remove K-wires from each other, and the little girl couldn’t help but giggle.”

She also notes how the Clown Doctors interact with hospital staff not just the children:

“What I love most is that they interact with us as well. This reduces the children’s anxiety around the staff and helps them see us as part of the fun.”

“More often than not, laughter is the best medicine,” Laura affirms. “The Clown Doctors teach us that distraction and fun can make a world of difference in a patient’s experience.”

Over the years, our investment in this program has been grounded in a simple but powerful idea: hospitals that support the emotional wellbeing of patients and staff are better equipped to deliver the highest standard of care. The Clown Doctors contribute to this by creating an environment where laughter and healing go hand in hand.

We have recently renewed our commitment to the program with a further grant of $60,000 over three-years to support its ongoing delivery in Canberra. The hospital environment is made better by the presence of the Clown Doctors. Their red noses, silly songs, and spontaneous humour may look light-hearted on the surface but beneath it all is evidence-based, emotionally intelligent work that changes the experience of hospital for the better.

To learn more about Clown Doctors or to support the program, visit humourfoundation.org.au/clown-doctors