Laughter Doctors is a project that aims to:

(1) provide cheer to the sick children in the wards of hospitals, their families and the caring staff looking after them.

(2) provide a chance for ANU Medical Students to volunteer in the community, and also gain invaluable skills and insight into communicating with and caring for children.

The project was established in 2007 by the efforts of the then EnSIGN committee. The tradition continued in 2008, and the project was once again a brilliant success. In 2008, the project was recognized by the Foundation for Young Australians and received a financial grant to help expand the project into rural hospitals.

Last year, in 2008, the project was run as part of Children’s Week and Universal Children’s Day in the last week of October. It is a week to provide a boost of hope by celebrating children and their gift to us, their families and those who care there for him in their times of need. The Laughter Doctors was one such project. What happened last year? In a nutshell, it was a day where students rampaged the Canberra Hospital Paediatrics dressed as clowns and equipped with all sorts of wonderful little presents and ready to engage the kids in many fun games, tricks and music. Inspired by the likes of Patch Adams, it was a project that had few simple requisites: smiles, laughter, love for children and of course, incredible goofiness. Outrageously funny medical equipment, “red nose’ transplants, ‘cat’ scans, ‘humour checks’ and ‘funny bone’ examinations were all part of the fun. Gifts and photo momentos were something extra that the kids toook away to remember the day. Each year, this Project has received great reception from the children, the hospital staff and the community. Media covered the story through radio, newspaper and TV.

Formal training (see picture below) has been provided by paediatrician Dr Peter Spitzer from the Humour Foundation, who has worked with the likes of the famous Hunter 'Patch' Adams.

Each year, the project committee put their time into a number of fundraising events. These include trivia nights, themed social events and bake sales. The Canberra community, particularly the Woden community surrounding the hospital, have been incredibly kind and have stepped forward to help. Support has been in the form of donation of prizes for the trivia night, toys for the children, or financial sponsorship.

The project is high profile in Canberra, and receives attention from TV (WIN TV), newspapers (Canberra Times, The Chronicle) and the radio media (ABC Canberra, 104.7 Canberra and Mix 106.3). It is a great way for your business to not only support a worthy community project, but also to promote your business and its role in supporting the Canberra community. We recognise all support and publish an article in the newspapers to individually acknowledge all donors.

The project is growing, and support is always sought. If you would like to support the project in any way (gifts, prizes or financial donations, or other), please contact us (see details below) and we would love to meet you and form a partnership.


Who to contact for any info?

Please contact the Project Co-ordinator for 2009, Mark Russell, at u4611745 [at] anu [dot] edu [dot] au.