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Articles and Other Research on Hospital Clowning
| Title |
Clowning around sets patients at ease |
| Author |
Simon Watson |
| Year |
2008 |
| Standard # |
ProQuest Document ID: 1527724781 |
| Abstract |
[Joan Barrington] established the
Therapeutic Clown Program at SickKids in 1993, roughly 6 years after
first seeing a newscast about "Robo," Canada's first
therapeutic clown, who'd been created at the Winnipeg Children's
Hospital in 1986 by Karen Ridd. Informed by SickKids that the program
would have to be funded privately, Barrington raised funds to hire Ridd
as the program's first therapeutic clown. Months later, [Bunky] joined
the brigade. In the ensuing 15 years, the program has expanded to a
clinic of 11 clowns, now seeing 10 000 patients per year, and solely
funded by donations from individuals, corporations and foundations.
Barrington says the cost per clown is $50 000 per year. Each works 3
days per week and is paid 1 day a month for professional development.
Unlike their circus or party cousins,
therapeutic clowns don't perform and don't arrive with prepared routines
and rehearsed pratfalls, she says. "I'm not there to entertain
people. Therapeutic clowning is not about the clown. It's about
empowering the children. They don't have any choice over who comes in or
out of their room, the doctors who care for them, the illness that they
have, or the medications they take. We offer them choices. Always asking
permission, we will never go into a room uninvited. If the child says,
'No, I don't want to see you today,' that's great. He can't do that with
anyone else. The child leads the play with Bunky."
Part of the problem, Barrington believes,
are over-the-top, in-your-face clowns, the sort of creatures that get
too close, too loud, or are too emotionally erratic. "For a lot of
people, the clown is that frightening thing behind the mask who's always
the bad guy in the movie. The therapeutic clown tries to dispel that
prejudice and works towards being gentle and non-invasive. Quieter.
Peaceful. Less is more." To that end, Barrington now uses less
makeup, to ensure that her humanity is still visible and that she is
less "monstrous."
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| Link |
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| Link Type |
[]PDF []HTML []Word [X]Purchase |
| Citation: |
Simon Watson 2008. Clowning around sets patients
at ease. Canadian Medical Association. Journal 179, no. 4 (August 12): 313-5. |
| Title |
Hospital clowns-modern-day court jesters at
work |
| Author |
Peter Spitzer |
| Year |
2006 |
| Standard # |
ProQuest Document ID: 1192763091 |
| Abstract |
The court jester or fool was a particular type of clown in
the Middle Ages, someone thought of as a special individual whom God had
touched with a childlike madness. Big Apple Circus established the Clown
Care Unit in New York City in 1987 as the first structured hospital clown
programme, with frequent and regular visits to host hospitals. The silly
clothes, the oversized shoes, the white coat with too many pockets, the
outrageous props and musical instruments are all checked; as well as the
hat. |
| Link |
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| Link Type |
[]PDF []HTML []Word []Purchase |
| Citation: |
Peter Spitzer 2006. Essay: Hospital clowns-modern-day
court jesters at work. The Lancet: Medicine
and Creativity 368, (December 1): S34-S35. |
| Title |
Clowning on children's wards |
| Author |
Daniel Oppenheim, Caroline Simonds, Olivier
Hartmann. |
| Year |
1997 |
| Standard # |
ProQuest Document ID: 25110817 |
| Abstract |
Oppenheim et al discuss their experience as clowns at the
children's ward in the Institut Gustave Roussy in France and ways that
clowns can help children with cancer cope with their illness and the
hospital. |
| Link |
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| Link Type |
[]PDF []HTML []Word []Purchase |
| Citation: |
Clowning on children's wards. Daniel Oppenheim, Caroline Simonds, Olivier
Hartmann. The Lancet, London: Dec 20-Dec 27, 1997. Vol. 350, Iss. 9094; pg. 1838, 3 pgs
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