Happy Feel Good Friday from the Czech Republic! I’m in Prague and want to highlight the local organization, Zdravotní Klaun, which translates into the Healthcare Clown.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Prague, Zdravotní Klaun has helped both pediatric patients and seniors endure the process of medical treatment with a smile. Their mission is “to bring joy, good spirits, and hope to places in need”. Those places are primarily hospital rooms and specialized clinics and care centers for seriously ill children or seniors.
Let’s start with their programs for children. The most common is pairs of medical clowns dressed as doctors and nurses visiting children’s wards to “prescribe laughter, banish stress and sadness, encourage small patients and prescribe more than a large amount of humor.” The medical clowns consult with medical staff on the condition of the children before their visit. You can watch this short video to see the clowns in action without having to translate the website.
In addition to children’s hospital wards, the medical clowns also visit intensive care units, emergency rooms and host virtual clown parties. For children with long-term illnesses, there is a weekly program that teaches them skills such as magic and juggling and culminates in a performance for their parents, other patients and staff.
The programs for seniors include medical clown visits to geriatric departments of hospitals, homes for the elderly, treatment centers for the chronically ill, and hospice centers. The clowns enlist the seniors to perform in variety shows based on their memories and favorite activities. Zdravotní Klaun also provides seminars for healthcare professionals to share techniques and methods of open communication the professionals can use with their patients.
Currently, there are 93 professional healthcare clowns in the Czech Republic who make over 300 visits each month to 66 hospitals, 11 nursing homes and one hospice center. That’s a lot of laughter and joy.
If you’d like to support the work of Zdravotní Klaun there are many ways to do so. If you live in the Czech Republic you can become a healthcare clown . The rest of us can make a donation and spread the word on social media. Like the Zdravotní Klaun Facebook page, follow them on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
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