Laughter is the Best Medicine

Clown Doctors work in hospitals around Australia, and overseas, to give children, especially, the opportunity to play, laugh and sing at a time when everything else in their lives is painful. Actors by training, the Clown Doctors sees the mood around the sick-bed, and in pairs they fall into routines that will relieve some tension and entertain, or they will simply be there to listen. The Clown Doctors touch the lives of over 85 000 people every year, and are now a familiar - and welcome - part of most major Australian children's hospitals. Here we follow a day in the life of a group of Clown Doctors, and go with them on their rounds, meeting patients, their parents and the hospital staff. Laugh and cry at these true stories of daily life in Australia's children's hospitals.

Co-founder of the Clown Doctors in Australia, Jean-Paul is a Clown Doctor, a humour consultant, keynote speaker and writes scripts, concepts and performances. From a background in mime, his career has spanned 25 years in theatre, comedy, festivals, schools, television, and in corporate and educational films. In 2002 Jean-Paul visited Afghanistan for 'Patchwork for Peace together with 22 clowns from around the world. This is his first book.