Community raises more than $60K for the Clown Doctors

A cocktail style fundraiser was held at Fairground Follies on April 1.

Run by the Humour Foundation, the Clown Doctors program aims to provide happiness to children in hospital, their loved ones and other medical staff, through humour and laughter.

One of the coordinators Lynda Wallis said that it was a "fantastic" outcome.

The funds will be dedicated to the foundation to fund the program.

Clown doctors are trained to entertain, play and engage with, and empower patients, as well as improve their qualities of life through positive memories when they are in hospitals.

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They work alongside medical professionals and calm and distract children in emergencies and painful procedures, and are present during occupational and physiotherapy sessions.

Around 270 families enjoy visits from them annually in the Highlands.

The Humour Foundation was co-founded in 1997 by the late Bowral general practitioner Dr Peter Spitzer, who was also a clown affectionately known as Dr Fruit Loop.

Dr Spitzer also created the Elder Clowns program to entertain and help people living with dementia, which is now known as the Laughter Care program.

Learn more about The Humour Foundation and all of its programs through humourfoundation.org.au.

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