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Booth Hall & Pendlebury - Clown Doctors (041)
At the two specialist Children’s Hospitals in Manchester children are treated for all sorts of conditions including surgery, accidental injury and medical problems that they may have been born with. MedEquip4Kids has agreed to fund the work of a specially trained “Clown Doctor” to cover both hospital sites. This innovative and hugely popular work is carried out by the Theodora Charitable Trust. It was first introduced at Great Ormond Street Hospital ten years ago, and has been operating in Manchester for several years.
The Clowns are trained to work alongside hospital staff to spend time every week with children in hospital. They work one to one and in small groups, and for the young patients the clown’s weekly visit offers a welcome respite from the medical routine of their hospital stay. Depending on the needs and age of the child, the clown may sit and speak to the child, encourage activities or present balloons, or perform entertainments for a small group of children. The beneficial effect of laughter is hugely important for a child’s recovery.
Special training is provided in order to help the clowns adapt their approach to the needs of each individual child, including bereavement training, to ensure they can answer questions the child may ask. The clown will also work with the siblings and families of children who are seriously ill or dying, and are trained at how to approach an individual in distress.
It will cost £24,000 to fund the clown doctor to cover Booth Hall and Pendlebury Hospitals for a year. This will allow approximately 5,200 children each year to benefit from the project.
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