OLGA BOLTNEVA

About 5-7 million children yearly get into hospitals in Russia. Every second child under 15 has once been at hospital. The majority of seriously sick children spend at hospital long years. For any child staying at hospital is a great stress: intensive therapy, complicated operations, long periods of rehabilitation. For the treatment to be successful a child should be in a positive psycho-emotional mood which is very difficult to achieve in a hospital environment.  In this situation Hospital Clowns come to help.
Project “Hospital Clowns” is a presentation of an unusual profession of a hospital clown. By creating positive emotions through clownery, game and art therapy Hospital Clowns foster rehabilitation of children at in-patient treatment. A Hospital Clown is near a sick child at the moments of great stress: first appearance at hospital, painful procedures, preparation for an operation and right after it. A Clown is capable to raise a child’s mood and vitality.
The history of Hospital Clowns movement in Russia has started with a certain volunteer, who strived to give children the warmth of his heart. Later associates came to help.
Currently hospital clowns are professional actors who get remuneration for their work.  Before entering a child’s ward, they undergo special training and also attend professional development, nursing, pedagogy and psychology courses.
At a first glance it seems easy to be a Hospital Clown. But in reality accompanying a child during an illness is a very painstaking and hard work.  Serious physical and psychological work of a professional team is behind the bright and merry Clown’s appearance. They bring back positive emotions to children and their parents and help believe that a smile and laughter can conquer the most serious illness.