I've been familiar with the term 'medical clown' for quite a while. The son of a good friend of mine, always looking for volunteering , found his vocation in clowning for entertaining hospitalized children (that was before he started his own family and became a busy chemistry teacher in high school).
To become a 'medical clown', he had to attend a special course and get a diploma. In his activity as a clown he usually wore a red nose, funny clothes and carried colorful baloons. He and his mother were very proud of this project.
Lately, I've become aware that there is more to it. There are 'clown doctors' , not ordinary people looking to volunteer , but professional doctors trained, in addition to their specialty, to help the patient deal with pain and fears of various medical procedures, through humor and distractiveness.
Health Care clowning is nowadays a worldwide practice. Professional doctors and ordinary volunteers can achieve good therapeutic goals with both children and adults, using means to create a light-hearted atmosphere free of anxiety and stress.
