Upcoming Events
Adam’s Dream Fund
Tuesday May 15, 2007.
Supporting The Therapeutic
Clown Program at SickKids and
Pediatric Cancer Research at
SickKids. For tickets,
call 416-636-0067.
Light Hearts ~ Healing Play Level II Workshop
Over 2 weekends, June 2-3 & June 9-10, 2007.
Open to all those who have completed the Level I
introductory workshop on therapeutic clowning in
a health care setting.
Visit www.sickkids.ca/therapeuticclownprogram for
more information.
Spring/Summer 2007
Volume 3
Loo Loo and friends with noses on.
Dear Friends:
Welcome back to Noses Off – and a big red nose
hello from all of us here at The Therapeutic
Clown Program at SickKids! Greetings to our
new friends and thank you for joining us. And
to our alumni supporters: your unwavering
commitment to our program is received with
heartfelt gratitude.
Our patient friends receive something only
we can offer – a very magical play space, transforming their hospital room into their minds’
delight. Our nine specially-trained therapeutic
clowns offer the three Cs: Connection –
opening the doors to healing, Communication –
building trust and Compassion – through
which we are feeding the ‘spirit’. Over the years,
we have seen the complexity and acuity of our
patients’ needs increase.
How best can we serve these little souls? By
simply being there. Being a companion as these
children go through their journey of illness is
where we live.
In this edition of Noses Off, we are proud to
share with you pictures, stories and comments
from our patient friends and families. We hope
that these pictures and stories will bring to life
the work we do here in the rooms and hallways
at SickKids.
Our Therapeutic Clown Practitioners continue to mentor, advocate and train through
Light Hearts-Healing Play workshops, presentations and media opportunities. Requests for
our assistance and guidance in setting up and
advancing other health care facilities’ programs
have increased and we are privileged to share
our knowledge with others.
For those of you who knew our colleague
and friend Wanda Buchanan, it is with great
sadness that we inform you that Wanda passed
away on Tuesday April 24, 2007, surrounded
by family and friends. Wanda’s strength
and determination were key to the growth
and development of our profession and our
program. She has made a lasting impression
and we will cherish our memories of her spirit.
Wanda, we will miss you.
The Second City That Never Sleeps
24 Hour Improv Marathon
Noon, Sunday June 10th to noon, Monday, June 11th.
24 hours of great comedy and musical entertainment. All proceeds from the event support The
Therapeutic Clown Program at SickKids. Second
City, 51 Mercer Street, or call 416-343-0011.
Parbusters? Golf Tournament
Wednesday September 26, 2007. Seaton Golf
Course, Pickering. Join this fun-loving group for
their 53rd annual golf tournament in support of
The Therapeutic Clown Program at SickKids. No
one worries about their handicap at this event!
For information, please call Blair Rossen at
905-947-9971.
CATC/ACCT
Third Annual Conference
November 9-11, 2007. The Therapeutic Clown
Program at SickKids is pleased to host this
Canadian Association of Therapeutic Clowns
conference. Held at SickKids, the conference will
give us an occasion to showcase the child life
modality of therapeutic clowning that we follow.
For more information, please contact Susan Riddell
at 416-813-6629.
Best clown Wishes,
M. Joan Barrington, Manager
Stories from Clown Central
The Amazing Sam
Mary Sunshine and Sam* were becoming
very good friends. He was fascinated by all
the magic tricks Mary Sunshine shared with
him, and even though he was only five years
old, he proved to be quite talented at learning to do many of them himself. Then, sadly,
Sam had to spend some time in isolation
and was allowed visits only from his Mom
and Dad, but, one day, Mary Sunshine came
to see him. Sam’s mother asked that she
cover her eyes because Sam had a big surprise for her. When Mary Sunshine opened
her eyes, she saw that Sam had transformed
himself from a pale and fragile little boy
into “The Amazing Sam”. This fabulous
magician was wearing a cape and hat and
carried a magic wand. His joy turned the
sterile hospital room into a stage and Mary
Sunshine was his special audience. Sam
had begged his mother for a magic kit, and
now, as The Amazing Sam, he delighted
Mary Sunshine with all the tricks he had
taught himself. When he was finished his
show, Sam taught Mary Sunshine some
new tricks which she promised to share
only with the other patients at the hospital.
Each month over 1,000 children will be treated for serious
illness or injury at SickKids. With your help, these children
will also be cared for by a therapeutic clown practitioner – a
specially trained member of the health care team who, through
clown, brings light hearts and healing play to sick children
when they need it most. Therapeutic clowns are caring playmates who provide comfort, emotional and medical support to
children and their families during long term illness and injury.
Bunky plays with one of his many friends.
We Oughta Be in Pictures!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of Beyond Laughter, our educational video for health
care professionals in various fields of practice. In
this video, you will learn more about therapeutic
clowns, specifically those at SickKids, and how
they provide innovative and effective complementary therapy to hospitalized children through their
gentle play and humour. Our deep thanks and
appreciation go out to our friends at MDS whose
generous support made this video possible.
Through gentle humour, they remind children that they are
still children — with a right to play.You can help Bunky, Clutter,
Doko, Loo Loo, Lubee, Mary Sunshine and Nuula put a smile
on sick children’s faces every month of the year by joining our
Smiles Club. By donating monthly you are making a lasting
investment in the lives of the children, showing that you
really care. Please see the reverse side of this tear-off to make
your contribution.
It costs only approximately $12 for one child to receive a therapeutic clown visit.
www.sickkids.ca/therapeuticclownprogram
Stories from Clown Central
Billy’s Balloons
Doko makes friends with a beautiful princess!
What Patients
and Parents Say...
“As I reflect on the long and frustrating
years that we’ve spent being in and out
of hospitals, I am inspired by the joy and
hope offered to the children by the
Therapeutic Clowns. After meeting Loo
Loo, my daughter began to look forward
to going back to SickKids. Her anxiety
eased and was replaced by anticipation.
For every ailing child at SickKids, there is a
Therapeutic Clown to bring happiness and
warmth to their heart”.
Nasira – Mom of a 12 year old patient
“Mary Sunshine is funny. She makes me
feel happy when I’m sad. Mary Sunshine
makes me laugh and she makes me feel
better”.
“C”*, patient friend of Mary Sunshine
“My son changes when he sees Mary
Sunshine. One minute he’ll be crying
and upset and as soon as he sees Mary
Sunshine, it’s like he’s a totally different
person. I love Mary Sunshine to death. She
is a very important part of my son’s life”.
Dianne – Mom of a 7 year old patient
“Bunky brought magic back to a very sick
child and very concerned parents. I think
that without the clowns, and in particular
Bunky, “R’s”* life might not be what it is
today”.
Kristen – Mom of a 13 year old patient
Mary Sunshine and her friend, having fun.
Billy* is Bunky’s longtime friend, but on
this day, Clutter was asked to pay a visit to
his room. However, when she arrived he
was not there, and his mother was sitting
on his bed, crying. Billy’s mother invited
Clutter into the room, and explained that
she was worried because Billy was in
surgery. Clutter didn’t want Billy’s mother
to be sad, so she suggested they work
together to decorate Billy’s window so
that he would have something beautiful
to cheer him up when he came back to his
room. Billy’s Mom said this was a wonderful idea, so together in silence they drew
A Dream Come True!
The Therapeutic Clown Program at
SickKids Endowment Fund has become a
reality! In March, The Women’s Auxiliary
of the Hospital for Sick Children generously donated the $50,000 that was needed
to create this endowment.
Women’s Auxiliary members work in
many areas at Sickkids and often have the
opportunity to see Therapeutic Clowns at
work. “We have many of the same goals,
says Vicki Paisley, President of the WA, “to
support our patients and their families and
let the children be children and not just
patients. Relieving anxiety and the stress of
a hospital stay or illness is part of the work
done through this exciting program”.
There are no words to express our gratitude for this gift! Without it, we could not
have begun this exciting process of securing
our future. Our program will forever be integrated within the fabric of The Hospital for
Sick Children and therapeutic clowns will
be bringing their hearts to millions of ill and
injured children for many years to come.
The Women’s Auxiliary of the Hospital for
Sick Children with Bunky: Nancy Leppik,
Gill de Auer, Mary Ann Gallagher, Vicki
Paisley, and Linton Carter.
Moving Forward!
There is a lot of excitement here in Clown Central at SickKids. We are thrilled to announce
Lucia Cino aka Nuula has assumed the additional role of practice coordinator every Wednesday to help us formalize our practice and, with Joan’s guidance, move us into the next growth
phase of our program.
We waved goodbye to our friend Helen Donnelly, aka Choola,
who has gone off to clown camp, but she will come for
Noses Off is
visits whenever she can. Our friend Kathleen Le Roux,
a publication of
aka Doko, is venturing into other areas of therapeutic
The Therapeutic Clown
clowning, and she will continue to visit our patient
Program at SickKids,
friends when we need her.
located at
The children are embracing Melanie Rosen, aka
555 University Ave.
Lubee, on the 7th floor and Heidi Firby, aka Loo
4th Floor Black Wing
Loo, who has moved onto the 5th floor from clinics.
Toronto, M5G 1X8,
We send along a big red nose welcome to the new
and is published for
donors, volunteers
additions to our troupe Teegan Jones and Jamie
and staff.
Sneddon – we are tickled silly to have you with us!
*We’ve changed the names of the children to protect their privacy.
Yes, I want to join the
and make a lasting difference in the lives of sick children today!
Debit my:
$12
$25
$50
Another amount
of choice ___________
I prefer to make a
one-time gift in the
amount of _________
colourful balloons coming out of pots,
surrounded by Xs and Os. Clutter followed
Billy’s mother’s lead, using Billy’s favourite
colours and, when it was finished, she
took a picture of the beautiful drawing.
Billy’s Mom was much happier, and she
hugged Clutter and said “Thank you, I feel
so much better!”. When Billy’s Dad arrived, he, too, gave Clutter a big hug and
was given an “I hugged a clown today”
sticker. Mom was also given colourful
rainbow stickers and everyone felt lighter.
Clutter felt so happy and privileged to able
to be there for Billy’s family that day.
Please find
enclosed my cheque(s)
made payable to
SickKids Foundation
“designated to The
Therapeutic Clown
Program”
or...
Visa
Please address me as:
MasterCard
Mr.
Mrs.
American Express
Ms.
Miss
Name: _______________________________________________________
Card#/Expiry: _________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________________
Phone #: ___________________________________________________
The Therapeutic Clown Program at SickKids is self-funded through generous individual, foundation and corporate gifts. Donations over $20 are tax deductible.
Please mail your contribution to 555 University Avenue Room 4293 Black Wing Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8 or phone 416-813-6629.
Charitable Business #10808 4419-RR-0001
Thank you for your generous support.