Clown doctors bring a smile to the sick, but not every joker can do it
"OK, be gentle," Freddie says, as he leans in to see a patient that's asked to touch his big red nose.
Clown doctors are bringing smiles to patients at a geriatric care and rehabilitation center in Melbourne. Clowns, known as "clown doctors" or laughter care specialists, visit patients at the Kingston Centre, a Monash Health facility in Melbourne's south-east. The trial, part of a six-month collaboration between the center and Clown Doctors Australia, has been a hit with patients.
David Wells, the clown doctor behind the big red nose, has a 47-year career in performing arts. During the trial, he has won over initially skeptical patients, including Sue and Michelle, who were at first apprehensive about the idea. David Wells has undergone a one-year "clownternship" with Clown Doctors Australia, learning how to connect with patients individually and uplift them with laughter.
The trial has been a success, with the laughter contagious and patients looking forward to the visits. For David Wells, it's a highlight in his long career, meaningful, rewarding, and outrageously fun.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
