Founder, CEO and Creative Director Professor Thomas Petschner’s ultimate utopia is for clown doctors to be in every hospital as part of the hospital’s daily routine.
“We have helped 70,000 patients in the last five years.
“Like people wash their hands as part of hygiene at the hospital, I would like to have clown doctors become part of the mental hygiene. It is something that should be in every hospital and be absolutely normal and necessary.
“Knowing you have helped that many people motivates you and in many situations, as a clown doctor, the patients have changed my life and those of the people that I work with. It is extra special when you work with someone who knows they are going to die and you are able to get a smile out of them.”
Arriving in New Zealand nine years ago Petschner was dismayed to find there were no clown doctors practicing here. He immediately spoke to his colleague Rita Noetzel now Programme Director and Team Leader and they formed the charitable trust Clown Doctors New Zealand.
“The purpose of clown doctors is to help people overcome their challenges in regards to their hospital stay. Clown doctors work hard to get people out of that depressive mind set of being in a hospital by distracting them and therefore reducing their pain levels.”