This weeks Parade Magazine in the Sunday newspaper has an article regarding the benefits of clowns to help reduce children's anxiety prior to surgery.

Here is the link to the article:
Soothing a Child Before Surgery | Parade.com (http://www.parade.com/health/2009/08/09-soothing-a-child-before-surgery.html)

(The magazine has a picture of a clown with a child, the online article has a pic of ugly hospital beds!)

I saw this article yesterday -- thanks for sharing, Gumball. This is SO much better than that horrid British study a few years back that determined sick children would rather have their tonsils ripped out -- without anesthesia -- than be visited by a clown(or something to that effect).

What a wonderful article.... Thanks

I totally agree!! As a Shriners clown, just seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter from kids makes it all worth while.