What We Do

Joy Is Medicine

Flagship program

Red Nose Docs

Our flagship program, Red Nose Docs, uses the magic of healthcare clowning to help alleviate the stress, fear, sadness and isolation of the hospital environment for young patients and their circle of caregivers.

We are professional artists.

Red Nose Docs are professional artists from a variety of genres (actors, musicians, magicians, etc.) who are specially-trained to work in the hospital environment. Using an array of circus and theater skills, our performers work in teams of two to create spontaneous, joyful encounters, reintroducing play and fun as natural parts of life. They wear minimal makeup and understated costumes while conducting “Clown Rounds” to parody the regimented and sometimes intimidating hospital setting.

See Where We Work

In every visit

Focus on the child, not the illness.

Create laughter and joy to aid the healing process.

Offer a respite for parents who see their child smile, laugh and enjoy being carefree again.

Cooperate with staff to engage children in play, encouraging compliance and providing distraction from pain.

Tailor interactions to serve the needs of each individual or group.

Adhere to all safety, hygiene, and confidentiality protocols during each interaction.

How It Works

A visit, step by step

Arrive & check in

Performers check in with the care team to understand who’s open to a visit that day.

Ask permission

They only enter a room with consent, reading the moment before bringing any play in.

Follow the patient’s lead

Play is improvised and patient-led, from quiet company to full performance.

Leave it lighter

A small shift, a smile, a moment of normal, in an otherwise clinical day.

Additional programming

Two Red Nose Docs in orange leap across a camp lawn trailing ribbon streamers.

Hole in the Wall Gang Camp

Founded by Paul Newman, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp gives children coping with serious illnesses the chance to be kids again at a summer camp built for them.

A rotating cast of Red Nose Docs joins camp life for each session every summer, bringing play and spontaneous performance to cabins, dining halls, and campfires alongside campers and counselors.

Summer Camp Week-Long Residency Serious Illness

Two Red Nose Docs play a hoop game with children at a hospital community event.

Special Events

From holiday parties to fundraising galas to community fairs and festivals.

These appearances help partner hospitals celebrate milestones and give supporters a firsthand look at the joy their generosity makes possible.

Hospital Celebrations Fundraisers Community

The art and science of healthcare clowning

A necessary and crucial intervention

Healthcare Clowning is a crucial non-pharmacological strategy optimizing pain and distress management in pediatric and other high-stress settings.

Our Artists and Humor Therapists (Red Nose Docs) undertake formalized training to be able to safely and appropriately improvise, tailor, and respond to the individual’s condition in that moment, whether child, parent, or caregiver. Research has shown this approach:

Two gowned Red Nose Docs at work inside a pediatric intensive care unit, seen through the unit window.

Reduces Anxiety

Meta-analyses show children experience significantly less anxiety during medical procedures and other crises, improving psychological wellbeing in both acute and chronic conditions.

Reframes Negative Memories

Clowns support children in modifying negative memories of procedures through humor and evaluation, which is critical for reducing anticipatory fear and strengthening competencies for managing pain in the future.

Transforms the Environment

Red Nose Docs change the emotional energy for kids, families, and staff, maintaining a positive atmosphere even after they leave the room.

Healthcare clowning supports the psychosocial dimensions of care as a distinct and crucial task for which there is a growing need.

Bring a program to your hospital.

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