The first visits of the medical clowns took place in Balashikha and the capital of the Black Earth Region. Moscow, Makhachkala, Tyumen, Perm, Barnaul and Lipetsk are ahead of them.
All clowns have undergone special training. Their goal is not so much to provoke laughter, but to help children feel comfortable in a hospital environment and reduce anxiety. A positive attitude helps them feel calmer during medical procedures that can sometimes make them feel unwell. This is especially important for children, who can suffer from stress and loneliness if left in the ward.
– Medical clowning is designed to improve the psycho-emotional state of children undergoing long-term treatment in oncology departments. Thanks to the competent work of specialists, the children’s mood improves, which gives them strength to continue the fight against the disease. This support is especially important for children suffering from stress due to prolonged isolation,” said Alexandra Rodnishcheva, director of the DobroSvet Charitable Foundation.
Another goal of the project is to draw attention to the activities of hospital clowns, as there are not many of them in Russia yet. In other countries, similar forms of work with patients have proven to be effective.
With the support of one of the pharmaceutical companies, clowns could be invited to hospitals.
– The rooms create an atmosphere of kindness that allows children to, at least temporarily, distract themselves from health problems, giving them the opportunity to feel free from worries again. For the third year, we have been systematically supporting projects to develop medical clowning in Russia,” said Yana Kotukhova, director of government relations and external communications of the pharmaceutical company.
