Doc Willikers Therapeutic Clown Program

Program Overview:

The Doc Willikers Therapeutic Clown Program was established in 1994 to serve the young patients at British Columbia's Children's Hospital (BCCH) in Vancouver and has since expanded to include Sunny Hill Health Centre and Canuck Place Hospice for Children. The program's founder, Paul Hooson, was inspired to explore this work by the renowned Big Apple Circus' "Clown Care Unit" (CCU) in New York City.

In concert with Winnipeg (1986) and Toronto (1993), Paul's Vancouver-based program helped pioneer the concept of therapeutic clowning in Canada and introduced the Clown Doctor character to the Canadian Health Care system.

Program History:

Paul approached B.C.'s Children's Hospital Child Life Department in early 1993, and was encouraged to develop a therapeutic clown program. Funding for a pilot project came from the Canada Council for the Arts and "Doc Willikers", Funny-bone Doctor, D.O.D.O. (Doctor of Dis-Order) made his first appearance in March 1994.

The character was an immediate hit with the children, families, and staff, and the program has come to be recognized nationally, and internationally as a highly effective and innovative pairing of theatre and medicine.

The Canada Council funded weekly visits through 1995, at which time the Auxiliary of the B.C.C.H. Foundation took over. In partnership with private and corporate donors, it has generously sponsored the program ever since, and has recently provided for the training and hiring of a second clown practitioner.

In 1997, at the invitation of Child Life Director, Fran Boyd, the Doc Willikers Therapeutic Clown Program was expanded to include monthly visits to Sunnyhill Health Centre for Children, where it once again proved to be a valuable addition. This facility provides rehabilitation and respite care for children with serious head injuries, seizure disorders, autism, and multiple disabilities.

In 2000, Canuck Place was added to the roster of facilities served by Doc Willikers, becoming the first therapeutic clown in Canada to regularly work in a dedicated Pediatric Palliative Care Hospice.

In 2005, Paul approached long-time clown colleague Sand Northrup and invited her to join the Therapeutic Clown Program. The two shared a similar approach to high quality clowning and had previously created a successful workshop for health care practitioners on Humour and Healing.

For the hospital context, Sand created "Fizzie", a PhryzzioTherapist whose unorthodox methods of testing patients for "funability" have endeared her to patients and staff alike. She is now a mainstay of the BCCH program.

These characters visit all inpatient wards and outpatient clinics, and work both independently as solo artists, or together in a duo format.

Links :

B.C.C.H. Website
Sand Northrup Website: www.sandnorthrup.com

Contact Information:

Paul Hooson
Box 73,
Bowen Island, B.C.,
V0N 1G0
(604) 947-2652
docdodo@hotmail.com

See Team Bios