They smile a lot, provoke plenty of fun and mirth, and sometimes cry. Their mission is to ease the stress of suffering children. Claudia Calleja spoke to Dr Buzz, a trained clown for the NGO Dr Klown – and whose day job could not be more different.

Smiles light up the serious faces of people lining the hospital corridors as they are passed by two men wearing a white lab coat… and a bright red nose.

One of those men, also wearing oversized specs, is buzzing with enthusiasm as he trots on his imaginary horse.

“People wouldn’t react to me this way if they saw me walking around in my morning suit,” says lawyer Stefan Frendo, who is wearing his clown doctor costume that instantly transforms him into Dr Buzz.

He is one of the 28 clown doctors who volunteer to spread smiles among children in hospital in Malta and Gozo. They form part of Dr Klown, a voluntary organisation set up in 2010.

A childhood dream

As a child Dr Frendo wanted to become a lawyer… and a clown. “I think this was largely related to my upbringing. I come from a long line of lawyers. At the same time, my father used to laugh heartily when he saw clowns. And (presumably) to gain points with my father whom I simply adored, I used to tell him I wanted to become a clown. And he used to reply to me, much to my despair: ‘But you are a clown’! That never convinced me,” Dr Frendo grins.

So in 1984 he became a lawyer. But his “very serious” career path didn’t derail his dream of, one day, becoming a clown.

Finally, at the age of 59, he succeeded. “I heard of Dr Klown and it excited my fancy. It had something special because it was not just circus-style clowning,” he says as he looks up at the chain of colourful, handmade ‘Thank you’ cards lining the ceiling of the Dr Klown cabin at Mater Dei Hospital.

A caring sort of clown

“We are caring clowns – caring for children who, to me, represent humanity in its purest form. And, even more so, these are hospitalised children. They’re often scared of doctors and the general hospital environment, which is why we wear the white coats over our clown outfit – to help them overcome that fear,” he says adding: “We are not medical doctors. Our medicine is laughter so we administer it across the board. As they say, ‘laughter is the best medicine’.”

I knew Buzz was there somewhere in me.He was knocking

Dr Frendo graduated as a Klown Doctor last September after a year of intense training that helped him discover the clown in him – Dr Buzz. “I knew Buzz was somewhere there in me. He was knocking,” he says.

In fact, looking back, Dr Frendo says, over the years people often commented about his “funny side”. He also likes to surround himself with people who help him “break the chains” and let go.

“I was being Dr Buzz without knowing. I was wasting my resources. At least now I believe that I’m directing them towards a good cause. Buzz represents my character when I let go – I’m buzzing,” he says.

Meeting the children

When clowns walk into a ward they first ask the nurses what the situation is to gauge where to go. Before stepping into a room they also ask for permission.

“Usually the parents ask us in while the kids, who are often playing with a tablet or game, might initially look indifferent. We leave them be. Even though children are our first target, we also have a job to do with the parents and grandparents who are going through a tough time as they have a better understanding of the situation. 

“If the child keeps ignoring us we back off. We do not impose ourselves on the child. But when the child starts seeing us having fun and wants to join, it takes off,” he says. 

“There are times when the child is with family and all would be expecting us. In those cases, sometimes we are all airborne before we know it – no runway needed,” he adds enthusiastically.

Clowning is all improvised. Clown doctors constantly adapt to the atmosphere in the room and the child’s interests and fitness. Recently, for example, clown doctors created a make-believe wedding ceremony that involved a clown marrying a nurse.

“We had an experience when two clowns walked into a room in a very difficult situation and said nothing. The child was fascinated with their lab coats. At the end the child wanted to hug the clowns. Even the parents were amazed because he wasn’t quite a hugging child,” he says.

This is why Dr Frendo loves clowning with experienced clowns who know how to behave in difficult situations. “No matter how much we train and how many books you read, experience is key – how to say or do something or when not to do or say anything. In difficult situations it’s experience that helps you out of the soup.”

Smiles and tears

Dr Frendo himself has already experienced a range of these situations. Recently he and his clown companion were upstaged by an 11-year-old girl.

“She did these fantastic splits. We went there to entertain her and she, instead, entertained us. We just let her do it and we became spectators.”

He also faced some emotionally stressful situations, when the parents were in tears. On one occasion a colleague of his was about to start crying in the ward and noticing this, he and another companion took over immediately allowing her to leave the room quietly.

“I must admit I’ve cried. Not there. But I once did have to stop my car while driving back home because my eyes welled up. All I can say is that the child we visited that day is no longer with us,” he says, adding that clown doctors never talk about the children they visited in a way that they could be identified.

Clowning is not always easy. But, like other clown doctors, Dr Frendo is determined to keep helping people see the fun side of life even in serious situations – a mantra he believes should apply in every aspect of life.

“I’ve always admired people who can see the funny aspect, even in the most difficult situations. Even judges have done this. I’ve seen difficult situations when, from the bench, judges pass a humorous remark that is in good taste and brings a smile to peoples’ faces. 

“Sure, the law courts are not a circus and have to maintain decorum. But I don’t see anything wrong with letting in some humour in the right context.

“Charlie Chaplain once said: ‘A day without laughter is a lost day’. We’re not here forever so why not enjoy it? Why not share with someone else our drive to enjoy? Especially with a hospitalised child?”

Supporting Dr Klown

Dr Klown is supported by 42 volunteers, who include 28 Klown doctors selected following interviews, psychological tests and artistic skills assessment.

Once accepted they undergo a year of training in artistic skills, specific hospital clown skills and psychological skills. They also cultivate their unique clown persona, such as Dr Ah-Choo, Dr Cupcake and Dr DoReMi.

Each wears a personalised and decorated white lab coat and the signature red nose. They use a variety of accessories and props to bring magic into the wards where they clown in pairs (or a maximum of three) – to make it easier for shy children to get involved and to support each other in emotional and difficult moments.

Usually, one clown plays a rational “white clown” while the other is the “red clown” who is fun-loving and impulsive.

As a voluntary organisation Dr Klown depends fully on donations. To offer your support or to find out more visit www.drklown.org