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CHEO’s therapeutic clown, Zedd, spends each day the lifting the spirits of patients and families, focused on their emotional well-being and the development of children and youth, and his work has made him a leading voice of therapeutic clowning around the world.
Globally, there are hundreds of therapeutic clown programs but, in Canada, only about 125 certified therapeutic clowns exist. There is a small fraction of those within a hospital setting, and that makes Zedd’s regular presence at CHEO unique.
Zedd, or Adam Zimmerman when not in character, recently travelled to Lausanne, Switzerland, as one of about 650 participants at the Healthcare Clowning International Meeting. He also presented as a representative of CHEO, widely recognized as a leader in therapeutic clowning, and a voice for Canada.
He drew on his experience at CHEO, and his master's degree in Child Life and Pediatric Psychosocial Care, to explore how therapeutic clowning aligns with medicine, the humanities, and health sciences.
“Zedd” started at CHEO in 2023, taking over from longstanding and much-beloved clown, Molly Penny. He has since changed many lives by bringing laughter and joy to children, youth and families receiving care at CHEO.
He is motivated by the power of play to improve the experience of patients and families. He is especially focused on helping to reduce medical-induced post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Comfort is provided in a way which may seem, on the surface, as distractions and entertainment, but it is so much more,” said Zedd. “For many children and their parents, it is a promise to play as they wish to play, and need to play, for their age and stage of development.”
Zedd said the conference also helped deepen his understanding of how therapeutic clowning is practised around the world, and he has brought that knowledge back to CHEO.
Through the generosity of community donors, the CHEO Foundation helps fund innovative, child-centred initiatives like the therapeutic clowning program that support comfort, resilience and joy for patients and families.