The Clown Doctors program visited the hospital’s children’s ward and Mary Coram rehabilitation unit, on their tour of regional and remote areas of the country, bringing smiles and laughter with them.
Conducted by The Humour Foundation, artistic director David Symons said the clown doctors injected hope and happiness into the lives of sick children.
‘‘International research shows that laughter has both physiological and psychological benefits in recovery,’’ Mr Symons said.
‘‘It has a positive effect on the heart rate and blood pressure, helps the immune system, and reduces pain and stress.
‘‘It also creates bonds between people and helps them cope with difficult situations.’’
Children were treated to a special visit from Dr Popoff and Dr Okey-Dokey who provided red noses and every joke in the book.
Clown doctors work in partnership with medical professionals to divert children during painful procedures, calm and distract in emergency, and improve the wellbeing of sick and injured kids.
By parodying the hospital routine with jokes, songs, magic and play, clown doctors engage kids at their bedside and help them to adapt to hospital life.
‘‘Red-nose’’ transplants, ‘‘cat’’ scans and funny bone examinations were all part of the show.