THE Clowndoctors brought a smile to the faces of sick children with a recent visit to Crosshouse Hospital.

Dr Groovy and Dr Maybee from Hearts and Minds, dropped in on the paediatric ward as one of several events to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Clowndoctors programme.

Before doing their rounds, the special, funny doctors liaised closely with health care staff on the ward to discuss the needs of the different patients.

Some of the different problems facing youngsters in hospital include feelings of powerlessness, anxiety, isolation and boredom.

The uplifting service aims to improve children’s self-confidence and there’s a hope meeting with the Clowndoctor’s will tackle their communication, social and physical challenges. In addition, the bed side visits help children cope with any treatments or procedures which may be causing them distress.

There are more than 170 healthcare clowning organisations around the world but Hearts and Minds, based in Edinburgh, is the only one operating in the west of Scotland.

Michelle Dodds, playleader for the Crosshouse Paediatric ward added: “It was great to have Dr Groovy and Dr Maybee back on the ward. It is fantastic to see the children’s faces light up when they visit. Our patients deserve to have a bit of fun, and the Clowndoctors certainly bring that!

“We really appreciate the hard work this charity does on a daily basis.

Congratulations on reaching this milestone and we hope to see them back soon.”