A charity that brings back some normality into the lives of children at hospitals has been named Voluntary Organisation of the Year.

Dr Klown kicked off in 2010 after a group of Maltese were inspired by the Italian organisation Dottor Sorriso, and it has grown from six Klown Doctors in 2011 to 30 today.

Malta’s clown organisation is one of more than 750 spread across 70 countries worldwide. It hosts 43 active volunteers in all, including the Klowns themselves, their support team and the organisation’s committee.

Klown doctors are selected through a thorough assessment process that includes interviews, psychological tests and artistic skills assessments, with around one out of eight applicants eventually joining the team. 

The initial training in artistic, specific hospital clown and psychological skills takes a full year before the Klowns enter the wards under the guidance of an experienced Klown Doctor.

The organisation, which has just won the Premju Nazzjonali Organizzazzjoni Volontarja tas-Sena 2018 will next year continue to train volunteers to become as professional as possible in their clowning and it will also recruit new doctors in March.

Throughout the year, they also plan on including more music in their visits, where they make it a point to not only entertain the patients but play with the children.

The aim of Klown Doctors is to bring back normality in the life of children who are within an unnatural environment – a hospital room. Play and fantasy are natural elements for children, while medical procedures and submission to hospital rules and doctors’ orders (although necessary) are not.

Log onto http://drklown.org/ for more information