Helping kids
in the hospital
cope
with stress
and get better faster
Hospital clowning is a special kind of art therapy, when through play, humor, improvisation clown doctors help young patients to get through a difficult moment and feel better.
THE POWER OF THE CLOWN THERAPY
Being in the hospital is always stressful for any adult, and it can be even more difficult for a child.
Unexplained and often painful procedures, hours of waiting, foreign environments, the unknown – all this generates a lot of anxiety, fear, fatigue.
Doctors and nurses who deal with other people’s suffering every day also need support so they don’t burn out.
Clown doctors come into this space of complex emotions to help young patients and their parents live these emotions and make the atmosphere in the hospital lighter and more humane.
Through play, humor, and improvisation, clown doctors not only help people in the hospital, but also make the environment itself more human.
A clown doctor is both not a therapist and not a regular circus clown.
Each is a professional trained and experienced in medical clowning, an art that requires a profound ability to understand another person and their environment and improvise on that basis.
Since 2012, we have been working in Latvian hospitals to ensure that clown doctors are where they are welcome – next to children, parents and medical staff.
In 1986.
professional clown doctors have started working in the US and Canada
20-30%
Stress reduction in children according to research
50+ countries
use this therapeutic practice
Our
activities
Since 2012.
working in hospitals in Latvia
35
professional clowns
180 hours.
training at the School to become a clown doctor.
1050
visits to children per month
Where we work
THE MAGICAL PLAY OF THE CLOWNDOCTOR
Medical clowning is a delicate art — it is rather difficult to put it into words. To understand how play can help children process challenging emotions, we invite you to read the first-ever book in Latvia about the everyday work of clowndoctors. It’s a collection of short stories, each based on real-life moments from our clowns’ experiences. Some will make you laugh, some may move you to tears, and each one offers something to reflect on. And when you buy the book, you also donate 1 euro to support the work of Dr. Klauns!
HELP A DOCTOR-CLOWN BE WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED MOST!
Dr. Klauns is a non-profit organization fully funded by donations.
The work of a clown doctor is not a one-time visit.
Several times a week, all year round (even on holidays!), clowndoctors visit children in hospitals across Latvia.
Medical clowning must be consistent so that children, parents, doctors, and nurses can rely on us.
You can help us continue this work by setting up a recurring donation.
Every contribution — no matter how small — matters. It gives us the confidence that tomorrow, the day after, and even next year, we’ll still be there in hospitals, bringing light and support.
Our Team
Dr.
Pepī
Dr.
Anabele Feličitovna
Dr.
Anna
Dr.
Augs
Dr.
Babulis
Dr.
Bezē
Dr.
Cacā
Dr.
Čmokk fon Čmokk
Dr.
Gasi
Dr.
Guga
Dr.
Jaija
Dr.
Kaa
Dr.
Kakastrofa
Dr.
Kataklizma
Dr.
Klipu Kļaks
Dr.
Mandarinka
Dr.
Pičs
Dr.
Piko
Dr.
Pindu
Dr.
Skudriņa
Dr.
TuklisJaukulis
Dr.
Tūta
Dr.
Uka
Dr.
Žipčiks Šķiņķis
Dr.
Re
