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Hearts&Minds, a charity which aims to improve the quality of life for people in hospital and hospice care, delivers a variety of participative arts in health programmes, writes Christine Stewart.
In 2002–3 the charity reached over 10,000 children, the elderly and their families across Scotland through the Clowndoctors programme for children in hospital and hospice care, and the Elderflowers programme for older people with dementia in hospital care. Both programmes aim to contribute to the emotional, mental and physical well-being of participants and use the performing arts as a starting point for communication and an outlet for creativity and fun. The programmes are delivered on a year-round basis by a team of trained professional performing artists.

Children in hospital and hospice care often experience a range of difficult issues in addition to their medical condition. Clowndoctors is designed for children aged six months to 18 years with a wide range of medical conditions. Through evaluation we have confirmed that the Clowndoctors offer benefits that include participation, empowerment, access to the arts, distraction and stimulation, demystification of medical procedures and the development of social, physical and communication skills. Individual children are referred to the Clowndoctors by healthcare staff and therefore strong healthcare partnerships are an essential element in the work.

One such referral was that of a six-year old girl with septicaemia admitted to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh at risk of having her leg amputated. The hospital staff saved her leg but she developed a psychological barrier to, and terror of, walking. During one visit, the Clowndoctors used music and magic to encourage the girl to make her first step with her walking frame: a pink scarf became a magic carpet for the girl to step on. Her walk down the hospital hallway became a musical parade of cheering staff, patients and families.

Where possible, the Clowndoctors aim to include the families of child patients, particularly siblings, recognising the stresses faced by the whole family unit. In 2003, they made several visits to a four-year old girl who had sustained brain injuries in a car accident. In this case, brothers, sisters and parents all became involved. One of the parents commented, “The whole family eagerly anticipated regularly seeing these compassionate, sensitive, very funny people with red noses with whom we made music and magic. They are magic. They made my daughter laugh. She couldn’t walk or talk but she laughed and that kept us all going; the catastrophe was bearable.”

Clowndoctors adapt their activities (which include clowning, improvisation, puppetry, dancing, storytelling, music, movement and movement) to the needs, interests and medical condition of the individual child. Hearts&Minds’ practitioners must have a minimum of five years experience in the performing arts before joining the company. This experience, combined with a comprehensive arts-in-health training and ongoing artistic development, ensures that the team has the skills to constantly tailor work to each child and the maturity to deal with difficult emotional situations.

Christine Stewart is General Manager at Hearts&Minds. t: 0131 477 2876;
e: enquiries@heartsminds.org.uk;
w: http://www.heartsminds.org.uk