Here are some links to successful hospital clowning programs, resources, research, and studies:
Big Apple Circus Clown Care
Big Apple Circus Clown Care at Boston Children's Hospital
How to cheer children in hospitals? Bring in the clowns
Nearly 20 clowns make magic for the young patients at Boston Children's Hospital, The Boston Globe, March 19, 2016
Clown Doctors, The Humour Foundation (Australia)
Clown Doctors (December 2002 article)
The Dream Doctors Project: Medical Clowning in Action
The Dream Doctors Project (YouTube)
The Dream Doctors Project: Research
An evidence-based foundation for medical clowns’ contributions to patient well-being and health.
Funnyatrics Clown Program, Children's Medical Center, Dallas TX
Hearts and Noses Hospital Clown Troupe
CBS Boston story: Clown Volunteers Bring Smiles to Boston’s Sickest Kids
Hospital Clown
Hospital Clown article, "Beyond Goofy"
Hospital Clown Newsletter archives
Medical Clown Project
Patch Adams / The Gesundheit! Institute
Room Circus Medical Clowning
Theodora Foundation
"Clown Care, a program in hospitals and medical centers involving visits from specially trained clowns" (several interesting links)
Clowning as a supportive measure in pediatrics - a survey of clowns, parents and nursing staff. Barkmann C, Siem AK, Wessolowski N, Schulte-Markwort M. BMC Pediatr. 2013 Oct 10; 13:166. Epub 2013 Oct 10.
The Power of "Clowning Around": New study highlights role medical clowns play in reducing anxiety, pain and medical costs of children.
All Funny Business: New Law Requires Argentina Hospitals to Hire Clowns
Buenos Aires adopts world's first clown law to cheer sick kids, USAToday, October 8, 2015
7 Benefits of Smiling and Laughing that You Didn’t Know
Laughter is the Best Medicine, The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter
Study reveals laughter really is the best medicine, BBC News
Therapeutic clowns in pediatrics, Sridharan, K. & Sivaramakrishnan, G. European Journal of Pediatrics (October 2016) Vol 175: pp 1353-1360.
Big Apple Circus Clown Care
Big Apple Circus Clown Care at Boston Children's Hospital
How to cheer children in hospitals? Bring in the clowns
Nearly 20 clowns make magic for the young patients at Boston Children's Hospital, The Boston Globe, March 19, 2016
Clown Doctors, The Humour Foundation (Australia)
Clown Doctors (December 2002 article)
The Dream Doctors Project: Medical Clowning in Action
The Dream Doctors Project (YouTube)
The Dream Doctors Project: Research
An evidence-based foundation for medical clowns’ contributions to patient well-being and health.
Funnyatrics Clown Program, Children's Medical Center, Dallas TX
Hearts and Noses Hospital Clown Troupe
CBS Boston story: Clown Volunteers Bring Smiles to Boston’s Sickest Kids
Hospital Clown
Hospital Clown article, "Beyond Goofy"
Hospital Clown Newsletter archives
Medical Clown Project
Patch Adams / The Gesundheit! Institute
Room Circus Medical Clowning
Theodora Foundation
"Clown Care, a program in hospitals and medical centers involving visits from specially trained clowns" (several interesting links)
Clowning as a supportive measure in pediatrics - a survey of clowns, parents and nursing staff. Barkmann C, Siem AK, Wessolowski N, Schulte-Markwort M. BMC Pediatr. 2013 Oct 10; 13:166. Epub 2013 Oct 10.
The Power of "Clowning Around": New study highlights role medical clowns play in reducing anxiety, pain and medical costs of children.
All Funny Business: New Law Requires Argentina Hospitals to Hire Clowns
Buenos Aires adopts world's first clown law to cheer sick kids, USAToday, October 8, 2015
7 Benefits of Smiling and Laughing that You Didn’t Know
Laughter is the Best Medicine, The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter
Study reveals laughter really is the best medicine, BBC News
Therapeutic clowns in pediatrics, Sridharan, K. & Sivaramakrishnan, G. European Journal of Pediatrics (October 2016) Vol 175: pp 1353-1360.
" . . . hospital clowns play a significant role in reducing stress and anxiety levels in children admitted to hospitals as well as their parents."
-- Therapeutic clowns in pediatrics: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
"Clowns work as well as aspirin, but twice as fast."
-- Groucho Marx, American comedian (1890 – 1977)
