Back to News

Behind the Red Nose: The Volunteers with Big Hearts Bringing Smiles to Hospital Wards

01/09/2026

For most children, a clown brings laughter and fun. For children in hospital, a Dr Klown can bring something even more meaningful: a welcome escape from medical procedures, uncertainty and worry. As a volunteer-led organisation dedicated to supporting young patients across Malta and Gozo, Dr Klown Malta uses humour, creativity and compassion to transform hospital visits into moments of joy and connection. We sat down with Pauline Cassar, known affectionately as Dr CandyPop, to learn more about the people behind the red noses and the remarkable difference they make every day.

For those who may not be familiar with Dr Klown, can you tell us about the organisation and its mission?
Dr Klown Malta is a volunteer-led organization dedicated to bringing laughter, joy and moments of relief to children and families experiencing illness and hospitalization.  Our volunteers contribute in many different ways — from administration and back-office support, to organizing events and fundraising activities, to the heart of what we do: bringing Dr Klown directly to children in the wards of hospitals both in Malta and Gozo. Our Klown Doctors are carefully selected throughout the application process, psychologically evaluated and professionally trained before they are able to work with children in healthcare settings. They learn how to use humor, play, creativity and improvisation in a way that is both fun and responsible, while understanding the sensitivities and boundaries of working with children who may be experiencing illness, anxiety or difficult circumstances.  Dr Klown financially relies on donations by the general public and sponsors.  What makes it even more special is knowing that Dr Klown Malta is part of a worldwide movement of people who share the same mission: to bring laughter, joy and moments of normality to children and families facing difficult times. Although we may be based in different countries, we are all connected by the same belief that a little laughter can make a big difference.

What inspired you to become involved with Dr Klown? What keeps you motivated?
Personally, my connection with Dr Klown is quite personal.  As a child, I spent quite a lot of time in hospital. Back then, there were no Klown Doctors. The children’s wards had a single playroom, which could only be accessed when a volunteer was available to open it and spend time with us. I remember eagerly waiting for that person to arrive. The board games, crafts and activities gave us something to look forward to and, even for a little while, allowed us to forget about being in hospital and focus on simply being children.  I remember thinking to myself that when I grew up, I would like to somehow pay that feeling forward and bring the same sense of relief and distraction to children who were going through difficult times.  Years later, I found Dr Klown, and it felt like a very natural way of turning that childhood wish into something meaningful.

How does laughter help children and families cope with difficult situations in hospital?
When a child is in hospital, their world can suddenly become about doctors, procedures, medication and uncertainty. Through humour, play and imagination, Dr Klown helps create a moment where the child is no longer thinking about being a patient. They can laugh, play, interact and simply be themselves.  That moment can be just as important for parents. When you are worried about your child, seeing them genuinely laugh can provide an emotional release and remind you that, behind the illness, there is still the child you know and love. We don’t believe laughter takes away the difficulty of what families are experiencing. Rather, it creates a little space within that difficulty — a moment of lightness, connection and relief.  And sometimes, those few minutes can make a surprisingly big difference.

Can you share a memorable moment or story that illustrates the impact of your work?
All my visits have been special in one way or another, and choosing just one moment would almost feel unfair to all the others.  There is the child who has been in hospital for a long time and recognizes you immediately when you return for your second or third visit. There is the child who may not be able to communicate verbally, but still manages to smile at you with their eyes. And then there is the mother whose face lights up when she sees her child simply being themselves again; laughing, playing and enjoying a moment without a care in the world.  These moments may be very different, but they are equally meaningful. They remind me that sometimes the smallest moments can make the biggest difference. For me, that is the real impact of our work: bringing a little joy, connection and normality into what can otherwise be a very difficult experience for children and their families.

What qualities do you look for in someone who wants to become a Dr Klown volunteer? What does the training consist of?
We are not necessarily looking for professional performers or people who are naturally the loudest or funniest in the room. We look for warmth, empathy, creativity, emotional maturity and, above all, a genuine commitment to children’s wellbeing. A Klown Doctor must be a good observer, work well with a partner, respect boundaries and adapt sensitively to each child, family and clinical situation. Reliability is also essential because the hospitals and the children we visit depend on us.  Applicants go through a careful selection process, including an artistic assessment, an interview and psychological assessment. Those selected undertake an extensive training program  lasting several months. It covers clowning techniques, improvisation, communication, movement, puppetry and other creative skills, together with the particular responsibilities of working in a healthcare environment. This includes safeguarding, confidentiality, hospital protocols and understanding how to respond appropriately to children and families experiencing difficult circumstances.  Once the formal training is completed, new Klown Doctors continue to receive guidance and support from experienced volunteers as they begin visiting the wards. Becoming a Klown Doctor is therefore not simply about putting on a colourful costume—it requires commitment, discipline and a great deal of heart.  And we also look for other volunteers to cover our administration and other support functions which cover finance, IT, project management, marketing, social media, events coordination, etc.  Here we look for trustworthy team players with specific skills and with a disposition for flexibility.

What are some of the biggest rewards and challenges of being a hospital clown?
They say that the best gift you can donate is your own time. I believe that is especially true when you can use that time to bring a little happiness to a child who is going through a difficult experience.  All voluntary work is valuable and should be appreciated, but for me, being part of the fantastic Dr Klown family makes it particularly rewarding. As a parent of a young child myself, I can appreciate how difficult it must be for a parent to see their child in hospital. My biggest reward is hearing the children’s giggles and seeing the smiles on their faces—and just as importantly, seeing the relief and happiness on their parents’ faces when, even for a few moments, their child can simply be a child again.  The challenges are also very real. Hospital environments can be emotionally difficult, and every child and family is different. You never quite know what you will encounter on a visit, and you have to be able to adapt while remaining professional and sensitive to each situation.  But that is also what makes the work so meaningful. Knowing that you have given a child and their family a few moments of laughter, distraction and normality make every challenge worthwhile.

How do children typically react when they first meet a Dr Klown?
Everyone is different, and that is one of the things that makes being a Klown Doctor so much fun! We meet everyone from tiny babies to confident, sassy teenagers, and you certainly can’t use the same approach with every child.  The little ones are often ready to party the moment they see us! Their eyes light up, the smiles appear, and they are usually more than happy to join in the fun. Teenagers, on the other hand, can be a little more… selective about being entertained by a couple of colorful Klowns walking into their room! Sometimes you have to work a little harder to win them over, and often their reaction is more of a raised eyebrow or a “Really?” Before that first smile finally appears.  But that’s the beauty of it—you never know what reaction you’re going to get. Whether it’s a baby’s giggle, a child’s excitement or a teenager finally cracking a smile, every reaction is special in its own way.

Why are partnerships with organizations and businesses so important to supporting your mission?
Dr Klown Malta is a voluntary organization that depends largely on donations and sponsorships to sustain and develop its services. Partnerships with businesses and other organizations provide essential financial support, but their value goes well beyond funding.  Our partners help us raise awareness, reach new audiences and create opportunities that would otherwise be difficult for a volunteer-led organization to achieve alone. Their employees and customers also become part of our wider community of support, helping to carry our message further.  Most importantly, strong and lasting partnerships give us the stability to plan ahead – to recruit and professionally train new volunteers, support our existing Klown Doctors and respond to requests to extend the frequency and reach of our visits. Every partnership ultimately helps us bring more moments of joy and emotional relief to children and families when they need them most.

What does the support received from CPHCL Group and the upcoming summer BBQ at the Verdi St George’s Bay Marina hotel mean to your volunteers?
The support of CPHCL Group means a great deal to all of us at Dr Klown Malta.  It shows our volunteers that the wider community recognizes and values the time, commitment and care they give throughout the year.  The upcoming summer BBQ is not only an opportunity to raise awareness; it also brings people together around our mission in a warm and enjoyable setting.  Events such as this allow supporters to learn more about our work while helping us continue delivering and developing our hospitals services.  For our volunteers, knowing that an organization such as CPHCL Group is standing alongside us is both encouraging and motivating.  It reminds us that although we enter the wards as Klown Doctors, we are supported by a much larger community that believes in the difference laughter, play and human connection make.

For readers who are inspired by the work of Dr Klown, how can they support your mission, and what difference can a donation make to the children, families and communities you serve?
There are several ways to support Dr Klown Malta.  People can make a donation, organize or participate in a fundraising activity, encourage their workplace to support us, volunteer in one of our administrative or operational roles or simply spread awareness of what we do.  Every donation, whatever size, contributes directly to sustaining our mission.  It helps us recruit and professionally train new Klown Doctors, provide ongoing development and support for our volunteers, maintain appropriate costumes and materials, and increase the frequency and reach of our hospital visits.  A donation may appear to fund something practical, but its real impact is deeply human.  It helps create a moment when a frightened or anxious child can laugh, play and feel like a child again.  It gives parents a brief sense of relief and brings warmth into an otherwise difficult hospital experience.  By supporting Dr Klown, people help us ensure that more children and families can experience those precious moments of joy, connection and hope.

By Samira Jamil, CPHCL Group Communications & Relationship Manager