In cooperation with the Embassy of Israel and Dhulikhel Hospital, Mr. David Barashi facilitated the “Training on Medical Clown” at the Dhulikhel Hospital from 2 December - 7 December 2012 for 25 participants who were from medical background including doctors, nurses, paramedics, etc.
Mr. David Barashi, a Medical Clown from Hadassah Hospital in Israel and a part of the dedicated team of "Dream Doctors" was back in Nepal to share more experiences and further expose selected medical professionals in the Clowning activities in the hospital that helps to bridge the gap between the practitioners and the patients. This training was a follow up training from last year.
"People look at you and smile and open windows to create a positive and healthy side. They want somebody to help them to have power to forget their fear. My mission as a clown and as a human being is to go to places and keep playing the game of life despite the color of the skin and the nation they belong to", said Mr. Barashi.
This training will help medical professionals relate to acutely and chronically ill children by using laughter to endure painful and stressful medical procedures. Mr. Barashi is considered a part of the medical staff in Jerusalem, where he works in the HIV clinic and emergency department as well as pediatrics, using his degree in therapeutic humor. Mr. Barashi has been a medical clown for eight years and before that, was a street clown for 15 years.
A study conducted around the world shows that children treated with Medical Clowning recover up to 30% faster than those who are not. Medical Clowning believes treating a body as a holistic view of medicine and not just a symptom of specific disease.
The trainees were given basic idea on how to provide relief to the traumatic children going through a tough time and establish a relationship between caregiver and the patient in a humorous way. The main goal of introducing Medical Clown in Nepal is to spread the knowledge of the term ‘Medical Clown’ itself. The training would be fruitful in easing the children in going through surgery and other medications.