Giving the gift of laughter at St George’s Hospital…
The Theodora Children’s Charity, the charity behind the Giggle Doctors, will be starting fortnightly visits at St George’s Hospital on 14th September. Using music, magic and storytelling, they will give the gift of laughter to sick and disabled children during their time in hospital.
Dr Bananas and Dr Whoopee are two of 25 Giggle Doctors, who currently visit 20 hospitals, 3 hospices and 2 specialist care centres across England. St George’s Hospital will become the 21st hospital to receive magical Giggle Doctor moments.
On Monday 12th June, both Dr Bananas and Dr Whoopee took part in a preliminary visit to get to know the hospital. They met the staff and some of the children currently receiving treatment at the hospital.
Dr Whoopee told us “I love being a Giggle Doctor because I never know what might happen. Whether it's an impromptu dance party with children and nurses in day surgery or roaming the corridors on oncology with a three year old policeman looking for cheeky rubber chickens and their stolen eggs.”
"I've lost count of all of the wonderful things children have taught a hapless Dr Whoopee and it continues to be a privilege and honour to offer lightness in what can be a scary time and place for families."
“My daughter arrived on the ward today very teary eyed and nervous, with her little head full of memories of needles, pain and illness. However, we arrived at the same time as the Giggle Doctors! Within a minute they had completely captured her attention and put her totally at ease. She completely forgot where she was and thoroughly enjoyed her time with them both, as did I! Thank you so much for everything you did for Ava-Grace today, you made a huge difference in a little girl’s world and made the hospital a much brighter place to be" – A Parent
To continue giving giggles, the Theodora Children’s Charity relies on donations and support from the local community. If you would like to make a donation or find out more about how you, your workplace or your school could get involved please visit www.theodora.org
For more information please contact Alice Barley, Fundraising and Communications Manager, [email protected] 020 7713 0044 Theodora Children’s Charity
Notes to editor:
About the Theodora Children’s Charity
The Theodora Children’s Charity train professional performers called Giggle Doctors to visit children in hospitals, hospices and specialist care centres across England. By combining music, play, magic and storytelling these professional performers bring magical moments to brave children in challenging times.
A bit of history
The Theodora Children’s Charity was founded in 1994 by two brothers, in memory of their mother, Theodora Poulie. When one of Theodora’s sons was hospitalised for many months as a child, she brought joy, laughter and storytelling to his bedside through her regular visits. Theodora inspired her sons to bring magical moments to all sick and disabled children. To date, the lives of over half a million children have been improved thanks to the Giggle Doctor programme that they created.
Hospital programme
A stay in hospital, whether overnight or longer term, can be scary and upsetting for children who are away from loved ones. Theodora Giggle Doctors visit children’s wards in hospitals across the country and brighten the days of children receiving chemotherapy, dialysis and other treatments.
1. Great Ormond Street Hospital, London
11. The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, Brighton
2. Evelina Children's Hospital, London
12. Royal United Hospital, Bath
3. Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London
13. Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
4. Lewisham Hospital
14. North Manchester General Hospital
5. St Marys Hospital, London
15. Royal Oldham Hospital, Manchester
6. The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton
16. Leeds General Infirmary
7. Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
17. Bradford Royal Infirmary
8. Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford
18. Sheffield Children's Hospital
9. Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge
19. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
10. Southampton General Hospital
20. Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Hospice programme
The hospices that the Giggle Doctors visit offer respite to children and their families at often very challenging times. The Giggle Doctors provide additional opportunities for children to interact, play and engage in fun activities.
1. Demelza Children’s Hospice (Eltham, South East London)
2. Haven House Children’s Hospice (Woodford Green, Essex)
3. Richard House Children’s Hospice (Newham, East London)
Specialist care centre programme
Theodora Giggle Doctors react to the particular needs, and individual circumstances of children in specialist care centres. Giggle Doctors are trained in a technique called “intensive interaction”, which enables them to connect and communicate with these children through specially tailored play.
1. Young Epilepsy in Lingfield, Surrey
2. The Children's Trust in Tadworth for children with brain injuries
Training
Although Theodora Giggle Doctors are not medically trained they are trained by the charity to work in the hospital environment.
The extensive Giggle Doctor training programme includes modules on child development, infection control and the impact of illness on families. Above and beyond this, Giggle Doctors are trained in ‘intensive interaction’, a technique which has been shown to improve communication skills of disabled children who have severe communication difficulties. Giggle Doctors are also asked to attend two training seminars per year where they take part in workshops and attend lectures by medical professionals. Alongside this, the Giggle Doctors participate in numerous artistic workshops to arm them with the skills to entertain children in the unique hospital environment. For example, they learn ‘quiet mime’ so that they can interact with children in isolation units.
Theodora Children's Charity
Theodora Children's Charity
40 Pentonville Road
London
N1 9HF
02077130044
[email protected]