Part health care practitioner, part clown? Or maybe all clown with a background in therapeutic healing?
The nonprofit organization ClownZero, based out of San Francisco, California, mixes humor and health care at the University of California at San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital.
Professional performing artists dressed as clowns bring this circus-like atmosphere to one of California’s premier pediatric ward at Benioff Children’s Hospital. This hospital, located within the UCSF Medical Center, provides care for virtually all pediatric conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, organ transplants, and orthopedics, in addition to the care of critically ill newborns.
According to ClownZero Director Dan Griffiths: “We train all the clowns to be super sensitive because the scale of play is much smaller in a hospital room; it’s like an exclusive performance for the person in the hospital bed. All our clowns work with children and have a lot of experience in knowing how to govern oneself accordingly.” … Read more →