Clowns transform Rio hospital with carnival magic for young patients
Alona Yadav | Mar 12, 2025, 17:19 IST
( Image credit : AP )
Clowns from the Clown Circle project brighten the pediatric ward of Rio de Janeiro's State Servants Hospital, turning sterile corridors into a mini Carnival. Their visits, featuring traditional music and interactive performances, bring smiles to sick children and their caregivers, demonstrating the therapeutic power of joy and laughter.
In a heartwarming scene at Rio de Janeiro's State Servants Hospital, clowns with bright red noses and colorful tutus transformed sterile hospital corridors into a mini Carnival celebration on Tuesday, bringing smiles to sick children and much-needed respite to their caregivers.
While Rio's traditional street parties, known as blocos, are characterized by their raucous energy and massive crowds, the Clown Circle project delivered a gentler version of these festivities to the pediatric ward. Hospital corridors, decorated with festive streamers and masks, became pathways for joy as musicians, clowns, and a standard-bearer danced through them.
"It's a really good feeling, because staying in a hospital with a child is tiring," said Moniky Fernanda de Nazaré Moreira, holding her one-year-old son. "We need this to cheer the child up – and he loves a bit of a mess, so he had a lot of fun."
The performance featured traditional Carnival music played on trumpets, drums, and banjos, while clowns focused on creating meaningful connections with each child, offering a form of attention entirely different from their usual medical interactions.
Dr. Ioma Rodrigues Klemz noted the therapeutic value of these visits: "It really helps children improve. You see children who are sometimes very withdrawn in bed who start to communicate more, sing, dance."
The Clown Circle project visits the hospital weekly, crafting themed performances around calendar events like Carnival. Although Brazil's official Carnival celebrations ended with Ash Wednesday last week, such technicalities didn't deter this cheerful group from spreading joy.
Julia Schaeffer, a program coordinator, explained that they carefully adapt their performances to the hospital environment, adjusting elements like volume to ensure they're appropriate for the setting. "That's what it's all about; bringing the street party into the hospital for those who can't be out," Schaeffer said. "We bring it here with an extra dose of care."
The initiative reflects a global recognition of how laughter and joy can complement medical treatment, with similar clown projects bringing moments of happiness to hospitals even in challenging environments like war-torn Ukraine.
Through music, dance, and personal interaction, these performers demonstrate that healing comes in many forms – sometimes wearing a red nose and carrying a banjo.
While Rio's traditional street parties, known as blocos, are characterized by their raucous energy and massive crowds, the Clown Circle project delivered a gentler version of these festivities to the pediatric ward. Hospital corridors, decorated with festive streamers and masks, became pathways for joy as musicians, clowns, and a standard-bearer danced through them.
"It's a really good feeling, because staying in a hospital with a child is tiring," said Moniky Fernanda de Nazaré Moreira, holding her one-year-old son. "We need this to cheer the child up – and he loves a bit of a mess, so he had a lot of fun."
The performance featured traditional Carnival music played on trumpets, drums, and banjos, while clowns focused on creating meaningful connections with each child, offering a form of attention entirely different from their usual medical interactions.
Dr. Ioma Rodrigues Klemz noted the therapeutic value of these visits: "It really helps children improve. You see children who are sometimes very withdrawn in bed who start to communicate more, sing, dance."
The Clown Circle project visits the hospital weekly, crafting themed performances around calendar events like Carnival. Although Brazil's official Carnival celebrations ended with Ash Wednesday last week, such technicalities didn't deter this cheerful group from spreading joy.
Julia Schaeffer, a program coordinator, explained that they carefully adapt their performances to the hospital environment, adjusting elements like volume to ensure they're appropriate for the setting. "That's what it's all about; bringing the street party into the hospital for those who can't be out," Schaeffer said. "We bring it here with an extra dose of care."
The initiative reflects a global recognition of how laughter and joy can complement medical treatment, with similar clown projects bringing moments of happiness to hospitals even in challenging environments like war-torn Ukraine.
Through music, dance, and personal interaction, these performers demonstrate that healing comes in many forms – sometimes wearing a red nose and carrying a banjo.