July 3, 2008
D1NT Nice People
We honor Big Apple Circus Clown Doctors
June 3, 2008
Dr. Doodle Doo! Paging Dr. Doodle Doo!
The Big Apple Circus Clown Care(SM) program brings laughter to the bedsides of hospitalized children in 19 cities throughout the U.S.
The program was started in 1986 in New York City by Big Apple Circus co-founder Michael Christensen. At the time, he put on a white coat, packed some rubber chickens in a medical bag, and headed to a hospital to bring joy to kids.
Now 92 Clown Doctors make 250,000 bedside visits to sick kids each year. The Clown Doctors not only master classic clowning routines, acrobatics, juggling, dance, mime and stilt walking (in big shoes!). But they are also specially trained to calm hospitalized children’s fears in intensive care units, bone marrow transplant centers, burn treatment centers and more.
Dr. Bonehead, please call Dr. Ima Confused as soon as possible!
The Clown Doctors have a few tricks up their sleeves, literally. Their very complicated medical procedures include:
• red-nose transplants
• kitty cat scans
• chocolate milk transfusions
• plate spinning platelet tests
• bubble blowing
• prescriptions of laughter.
Dr. Shorty Pants, please report to the Nurses’ Station. We found your shoe!
Indeed Dr. Shorty Pants’ shoes – and all the Clown Doctors’ shoes - are big ones to fill. It takes an extraordinary person to be a Clown Doctor.
The D1NT Community says "THANK YOU" to the Big Apple Circus Clown Care performers. You make the world a better place and inspire us with your kindness.
Whose kindness inspires you? Nominate him or her to be honored by D1NT.