Red Noses
Date of issue : 25 February 2020
Here is a beautiful stamp issued by Austria Post on 25 February 2020 featuring 'Red Noses', the Clown doctors who make people laugh even when times are difficult ! It is world’s largest association of healthcare clowns.
For over 25 years now the RED NOSES clown doctors have been bringing laughter where it is most needed and Austrian Post has honoured this fabulous commitment with a RED NOSES special stamp.
“RED NOSES is an artistic organisation bringing humour and laughter to people in need of joy”, says the mission statement of this charitable organisation. The clown doctors visit children and young people in hospitals and in other special educational and therapeutic institutions as well as adults and senior citizens in care and rehabilitation centres. They provide psychological support to help people get well again and find renewed pleasure in life.
The RED NOSES clown doctors are professional artists who have undergone special training. When they are ill, children are subject to all kind of stresses: anxiety, pain, separation from their parents, treatments – and a nosy, clumsy clown can become an important ally who has the sensitivity necessary not only to ensure that there is fun to be had, but also to distract patients and to help reduce anxiety levels.
Adults also benefit from the healthcare clowns: clowns improve their mood, motivate people and provide a few lighter moments in an otherwise difficult situation. For senior citizens, visits from clowns provide variety and help raise their spirits.
RED NOSES Clown doctors
Founded by Monika Culen and Giora Seeliger in 1994, after the first visits from clowndoctors to sick children it quickly became clear what positive effects these special “visits”can have. Since 2000 the clown doctors have also been visiting senior citizens in care facilities, and projects such as “Clowns Unterwegs” (“Clowns on the Go”), supporting people through therapy in rehabilitation clinics, a circus workshop for long-term paediatric patients or the clown theatre for children and young people with mental and multiple disabilities followed. Since 2013 the RED NOSES have been working in crisis and catastrophe zones with “Emergency Smile”. RED NOSES Clown doctors International was set up in 2003 and today has partner organisations in ten different countries. This makes the RED NOSES group the world’s largest association of healthcare clowns.
