Sponsorship Puts Smile On Face Of Clown Doctors

Media Release for immediate use: Wednesday 3 February 2010

Sponsorship Puts Smile On Face Of Clown Doctors

Christchurch-based recruitment company Tradestaff has just announced it has become the founding sponsor of Clown Doctors New Zealand.

Professionally trained clown doctors started visits to Christchurch Hospital last September to employ the healing power of humour. Tradestaff Managing Director Kevin Eder says his company is thrilled about its new role as founding sponsor for such a worthwhile cause.

“We are very excited about our involvement with this fantastic charitable trust. Clown Doctors is a new organisation in this country but huge in Europe and beyond, where it operates as Red Noses Clown Doctors International,” says Mr Eder.

“Our company is determined to help Clown Doctors firstly continue their great work here in Christchurch and then in assisting them in spreading the clown doctor programme into other hospitals around the country. If you’ve seen the movie ‘Patch Adams’ you’ll have some idea of what a clown doctor does and how they bring so much joy and laughter to those who are ill in hospital.

“Wouldn’t it be fantastic to see this initial Christchurch programme bring that same joy and laughter to patients, hospital staff and care-givers all over New Zealand,” he says.

Clown Doctors is a charitable organisation responsible for training, providing and managing clowns to provide services in hospitals. Christchurch’s clown doctors visit Christchurch Public Hospital’s children’s wards, acute medical assessment unit and oncology weekly, while also running a geriatric programme at Princess Margaret Hospital fortnightly. Frequency of visits is dependent on the funding available which is used to pay the clown doctors – there is no cost at all to the hospitals participating in the programme.

Christchurch-based doctor Thomas Petschner, founder and Chief Executive of the Clown Doctors New Zealand Charitable Trust, says he is very grateful to Kevin Eder and Tradestaff for its sponsorship of Clown Doctors.

“Kevin is very passionate about the work we do in hospitals and we are looking forward to working with Tradestaff to help increase the hospital visits by the Clown Doctors here in Christchurch. Once we have done that successfully, we will be ready to move into other hospitals around New Zealand so we can coax laughter and smiles from patients there, too.”

He says there are real benefits in blending health with humour.

“You become healthier just by smiling! Smiling really does help relieve pain and research shows patients visited by clown doctors are happier and better equipped to face the procedures that lie ahead.”

Team co-ordinator and administration manager, Rita Noetzel, says in addition to the Tradestaff sponsorship, support has also come from Waipara Winery, Fiddler’s Green. It has produced a fundraising, high-quality wine range, of which $2 from every bottle sold goes to Clown Doctors.

She says that Clown Doctors New Zealand’s goal is to employ 30 clown doctors who regularly visit hospitals nationwide.

ends

© Scoop Media