Medical clowns offer serious relief for Israeli kids recovering from trauma

Medical clowns in Israel, particularly through organizations like Dream Doctors and Simchat Halev, provide significant emotional and psychological support to children and adults recovering from trauma and illness. Israel has become a global leader in this field, offering the world's first bachelor's degree in medical clowning at Haifa University. Dream Doctors, founded in 2002, employs salaried clowns who work as paraprofessionals within hospital teams, even participating in medical procedures and pioneering rehabilitative clowning. Independent studies have shown that medical clowning can reduce anxiety, pain, and crying in children during hospital procedures. Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terror attacks, medical clowning has taken on an expanded role in trauma wards, assisting soldiers, civilians, evacuees, and hostage families. As clown Shira Friedlander (Shorty) states, "It isn't a nice-to-have. It's part of recovery. We're part of a giant system." Veteran medical clown Smadar Harpak (Shemesh) also developed the "Clownbulance," a vehicle that takes seriously ill or traumatized children on fun outings, which has been utilized for former hostages.