In Irkutsk Ivano Matreninskaya Hospital, the first hospital clowns began training. Two pairs of volunteers are already being prepared to help children through play, communication, and laughter therapy. Tomsk instructors say this work requires not only heartfelt dedication but also strict rules, from a sterile suit to a special approach to each child. If the project succeeds, training will continue in September for new clown pairs, including for work in the cancer hospital.
“At the trainings that took place at the Ivano-Matreninskaya Hospital, we were convinced that we are on the right path,” Marina Kondrashova noted. “At first, the doctors were very… cautious about the idea. But the children really liked it. And now we are training two pairs of volunteers specifically for this hospital. We very much hope that we will be able to train more volunteers, and that this initiative in Irkutsk will grow into a movement.”The first two pairs of volunteers were found through advertisements at the departments of specialized universities for students who are planning to become teachers, social workers, and child psychologists. Nevertheless, it is already clear that many more volunteers will be needed. The human factor is the main thing in charitable projects where people work “for the soul.”
In Tomsk, 16 pairs of hospital clowns are currently working.
“Knowing how hospital clowns work is one thing,” says Natalya Shilina. “And quite another is working in a hospital with children 3 times a week. They do not need to be pitied — they are already in the hospital, and there is a lot of pain and loneliness in their lives. You need to play with them, talk to them, help them, cheer them up. If it doesn’t work out, it’s better to honestly admit it and leave.”
Despite its outward frivolity, being a hospital clown is very hard work. You have to work not only during group sessions in the playroom, but also individually — with children who cannot get out of bed.
A special skill is creating the costume. It consists of adding many funny details to an ordinary medical coat, for example: striped leg warmers, huge pink glasses, fingerless gloves, colorful laces on sneakers. To create a “cheerful” medical coat, colored felt appliqués, acrylic paints, and many other elements are used. An important requirement: the costume must be sterile, and it is brought in a special cover. Shoes are chosen with rubber soles — they are easier to disinfect. Wigs are on the “blacklist,” as harmful bacteria settle on them. And the clown’s backpack always contains at least one pack of antibacterial wipes.
Doctors confirm: if the volunteers do everything correctly, after “laughter therapy” sessions the children’s mood improves, as do their test results.
The first two pairs of hospital clowns are being trained to work at the Ivano-Matreninskaya Hospital. If the experience is successful, in September the Tomsk instructors will return — to train other pairs of clowns to work at the oncology hospital.
Based on materials from the press service of the Irkutsk city administration