Cuts wipe the smile from Clowndoctors

Published on Saturday 31 January 2009 18:49

THEY spread infectious laughter among some of Scotland's sickest children in the emotionally charged atmosphere of the country's hospitals and hospices.

But the pioneering Clowndoctors charity, which has been trying to help the healing process for almost a decade, is having to cut back its life-enhancing programmes due to a lack of funds.

The clowns, all trained professional actors and performance artists, deliver their services in 14 health care units across Scotland. The charity says funding is drying up as a result of the recession hitting the financial trusts that support it.

Providing a service to thousands of children every year, it has now enlisted academics to find a scientific basis for its work to help support claims for future funding.

Magdalena Schamberger, artistic director of the Hearts and Minds charity, which runs Clowndoctors and a related Elderflower service for elderly patients, said:

"It is difficult to measure the tangible benefits, but laughter and fun are known to be beneficial. We realise, however, that at times like this, along with everyone else, we have to prove our worth."

Clowndoctors was set up in 1999 to bring light relief to children and elderly patients in hospitals. Venues include children's hospitals and wards in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness plus two hospices in Kinross and Balloch.

The organisation costs 240,000 a year to run. About half of the organisation's funding comes from private trusts, with the rest from the Government, councils, health services and the Scottish Arts Council.

Glenys Watt, whose son Donald benefited from the Clowndoctors, said: "Donald was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was seven and was admitted to the Sick Children's Hospital in Edinburgh. Clowndoctors visited him and raised the first smile from him for weeks. Because he smiled, I smiled."

Researchers at Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University have launched a project to help prove that Clowndoctors provide tangible health care benefits. Doug Brown, head of the Wellbeing and Creativity Group, said:

"We are determined to come up with a methodology which can measure the value of making a child or older person smile in order to improve their healing and quality of life."

Can you help?

Hearts&Minds is a registered charity and relies on donations to keep the Clowndoctors programme running. By logging on to www.heartsminds.org.uk you can make a secure donation via a credit or debit card or set up a standing order. You can also host a fundraising event to help Clowndoctors.

For more information contact Fiona Anderson at [e-mail] or 0131-270 6051.