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The clowns at the Zurich Children’s Hospital put a smile on the faces of the young patients. But sometimes they are overwhelmed by fate.
A surprising magic trick or a journey through a fantasy land allows the young patients at the Children’s Hospital Zurich to forget their illness, at least for a moment.
Judith Cuénod, Joy Winistoerfer and Lienhard Anz ensure beaming faces and sparkling eyes. You will be part of a four-person team holding two full-time positions. The “Kispi” Zurich is the first hospital in Switzerland with permanently employed clowns. The whole thing is financed by fundraising. The trained actors distract and accompany chronically ill and traumatized children in particular.
We try to focus on something positive, something to be admired. Then we try to expand it.
Judith Cuénod has only been there since October. Her working day begins by transforming herself into “Professor Professor Giga”. Together with Joy Winistoerfer, alias “Professor Professor Flippa”, she visits children who are being treated in the hospital.
If the promised fragrance is forgotten during anesthesia or homesickness is particularly strong, Flippa and Giga distract you with their funny way. Her specialty: «Humorology.»
An interplay between joy and sadness
Lienhard Anz alias “Dr. dr Button” always has a smile on his face. But he knows that although they always seem happy as clowns and spread optimism, the job also has difficult moments. Sometimes the fates of the children overwhelm him.
He remembers an eleven-month-old girl who was terminally ill. His parents eventually made the difficult decision to end life support and turn off the machines. “When I got to the intensive care unit the next morning, the place was empty. Something like that is touching.” Lienhard Anz has tears in his eyes as he tells the story. But mostly it is the best job in the world.
There are not enough staff in the hospitals and the people are at their limit. It is therefore all the more important that someone is there who thinks of the children.
The “Kispi” clowns work closely with the nursing staff and doctors. “There are not enough staff in the hospitals and people are at their limit. That’s why it’s all the more important that someone is there who thinks of the children,” says Joy Winistoerfer. And clown colleague Judith Cuénod describes the interaction between medical staff and hospital clowns as a huge opportunity.