After many years as a consultant paediatrician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, I know how hard it is for children to be stuck at the hospital. For some it is just a visit to the clinic – which itself can be a difficult or traumatic episode – but for many it is an inpatient stay on the wards. Many children are in for just a few days but for some the stay can be very lengthy. Children with cancer, following major trauma, with learning difficulties, or facing major surgery or with long-term conditions like diabetes or cystic fibrosis. For them and their families time passes slowly, and they are often a long way from the friends and even family. The Laughter Specialists address this with their work. They visit these children, and use their skills to bring laughter and smiles to the children and their families. And it is not just light-hearted fun – it works. People have now studied the effect of clowning on the health and recovery of children in hospital and demonstrated that it helps. This was the conclusion of one big analysis that reviewed all the published data on the effect of laughter: We found that hospital clowns play a significant role in reducing stress and anxiety levels in children admitted to hospitals as well as their parents. (Eur J Pediatr (2016) 175:1353–1360) So we know it works, and we know that it is not part of routine NHS funding – so we rely on charities like the Laughter Specialists to help provide this important care. I would encourage you all to support this great team of dedicated people in their important work.

Dr Rob Ross Russell, Director of Studies in Medicine, Cambridge