'Clown docs' entertain kids at KEM
They put on a show at the paediatric ward of the hospital as a part of Israel Month
The Israel embassy organised a visit by 'medical clowns' from Israel to KEM hospital on Tuesday as part of the 'Israel Month in Mumbai'. Medical clowns or clown doctors are professional performers, usually with a theatre background, who visit hospitals and interact with patients.
The two medical clowns, Hamutal Ende and Ofir Renan were representing Dream Doctors, a project started in Israel ten years ago which integrates professional medical clowning into the medical services provided at hospitals.
Dressed in colourful jumpers with clown hats and red noses, the clowns jumped and sprinted from one pediatric ward to the other.
As soon as the clowns walked in, some of the children were scared, some curious, but within minutes they were all delighted. Renan and Ende used balloons, music and toys to entertain the children.
The director of KEM, SN Oak said: "KEM hospital gets around 180 to 200 children, usually from the low income group, on a daily basis and parents do not have time or money to think about entertaining their children in the hospital. Such an experiment could be very helpful."
Renan and Ende talked about the small but significant effect medical clowning has on patients, particularly children. "Medical clowning is a way to empower the children, to help them forget their worries and pain for some time," explained Ende who has been doing this for almost 4 years now. "You can now even get a BA in medical clowning in Israel".
Renan, also a medical clown for 7 years, said that clowning "creates a connection with the kids which makes them happy and empowers them physically too." She said it has been experimented on adults also, and even though they tend to be suspicious, the effects have always been positive.
Milind S Tullu, a pediatrician, said: "medical clowning could be very effective in replacing sedatives for children."
Deepshikha Palit, an anaesthetist at the ward, said that she had never seen anything like this in the hospital before.
They put on a show at the paediatric ward of the hospital as a part of Israel Month
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The Israel embassy organised a visit by 'medical clowns' from Israel to KEM hospital on Tuesday as part of the 'Israel Month in Mumbai'. Medical clowns or clown doctors are professional performers, usually with a theatre background, who visit hospitals and interact with patients.
The two medical clowns, Hamutal Ende and Ofir Renan were representing Dream Doctors, a project started in Israel ten years ago which integrates professional medical clowning into the medical services provided at hospitals.
Dressed in colourful jumpers with clown hats and red noses, the clowns jumped and sprinted from one pediatric ward to the other.
As soon as the clowns walked in, some of the children were scared, some curious, but within minutes they were all delighted. Renan and Ende used balloons, music and toys to entertain the children.
The director of KEM, SN Oak said: "KEM hospital gets around 180 to 200 children, usually from the low income group, on a daily basis and parents do not have time or money to think about entertaining their children in the hospital. Such an experiment could be very helpful."
Renan and Ende talked about the small but significant effect medical clowning has on patients, particularly children. "Medical clowning is a way to empower the children, to help them forget their worries and pain for some time," explained Ende who has been doing this for almost 4 years now. "You can now even get a BA in medical clowning in Israel".
Renan, also a medical clown for 7 years, said that clowning "creates a connection with the kids which makes them happy and empowers them physically too." She said it has been experimented on adults also, and even though they tend to be suspicious, the effects have always been positive.
Milind S Tullu, a pediatrician, said: "medical clowning could be very effective in replacing sedatives for children."
Deepshikha Palit, an anaesthetist at the ward, said that she had never seen anything like this in the hospital before.
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