Annual Report Room Circus Medical Clowning Oct 2014

Annual Report
Room Circus
Medical Clowning
Oct 2014-Sept 2015
Fiscal Year
“I needed that laughter.” – Mom of a
6-year-old boy receiving
chemotherapy
A Letter from the President of the Board
Thanks to our donors, we were able to add a
second day to our weekly rounds at Seattle
Children’s Hospital. This meant that in our
second fiscal year, over 2000 patients benefitted from the gift of laughter, including
many on the cancer unit. Because these children are in the hospital for longer stays, we
have had the opportunity to form relationships with them and the clowns have become
a key part of their experience. Counting families, visitors and staff, our professional
clowns impacted over 7,000 individuals this
past year with talent, enthusiasm and sensitivity to the conditions of their illness. Here
is what we accomplished this year with your
help! Thank you so much for your support.
"We don't know how to thank
you. That's the first time we've
heard our baby laugh."
– Parents of six month old boy,
post liver transplant
In healing laughter,
Victoria Millard,
President of the Board
Did you know?
More and more studies prove that
medical clowning is more than just a
distraction for patients; it reduces anxiety
and pain, hastens recovery rates, and
ultimately reduces the cost of treatment
and recovery for patients and hospitals.
After Dr. Voila! performed a lively card trick, the 16-year-old boy in a wheelchair said,
“I need a little lightness once in a while and you guys
just totally cheered me up. Thank you so much for what you do.”
“You came at the perfect time.
That was way better than me
pulling my hair out!”
– Mother of a seven-year-old
girl on the surgery unit.
What we achieved in our Fiscal Year Oct. 2014 - Sept. 2015
Expanded to two days a week at Seattle
 Received ArtsWA grant from the state
Children’s Hospital, enabling us to add
and National Endowment for the Arts
patients on the Cancer and Intensive Care
 Achieved GuideStar Gold Rating for
units. Over 2000 children served!
nonprofit transparency
 Hired an outstanding new clown, who has
performed in 38 states, and crisis areas in  Improved website and set up a Face
Book page
8 countries with Clowns Without Borders


Received first private foundation grant

Received 4Culture Sustaining Funds
Grant (grant award doubled from previous year). We were one of the most highly
rated organizations

Recruited two board members and eight
volunteers

Fun Family Event: Send in the Clowns
5k and Kids’ Dash at Magnuson Park,
with dunk tank, clown show, and rubber
chicken games

Two joyous home concert fundraisers,
one with concert pianist and one with
French Café Band

Received an outstanding program evaluation--with a 90% return rate, 95% of
both patients/families and staff consider
RCMC a valuable service!

Finished Power Point presentation—
presented it to SCH Child Life

Dialogued with Harborview Hospital
Did you know?
In Israel, clowns are an integral
part of emergency medical teams
sent to international crisis areas.
What we’re working on for our
3rd Fiscal Year,
Oct. 2015 - Sept. 2016

Build our fundraising capacity with our
new Development Director

Sustain two days per week program at
Seattle Children’s Hospital

Seek possible second hospital

Explore expanding program to serve adult
patients

Hold Donor Appreciation Events

Host frequent Clown Observation Days
for major donors and prospective board
members to see the work

Add four new board members; provide
development and training for board
Did you know?
In the Buenos Aires province of
Argentina, a law was passed requiring
clowns in every children’s hospital.
Our Vision

Market “The Medicine of Laughter”
Power Point presentation and workshop
Our vision is to help heal and transform lives
through laughter and play.

Complete 501 Commons/4Culture
Springboard Capacity Building Program.
Our Mission
Our mission is to alleviate the stress and iso Build up volunteer program with our new lation of hospitalized children and their families through the healing art of Clown, and to
Volunteer Coordinator
promote laughter and play as vital components of health and well-being.
 Write Quarterly Newsletter, more social
media posts and timely updates to donors
Our Values
Play * Laughter * Joy
Trust * Imagination
Our Goals
“Laughter… it changes the
whole day.”
– Mother of an Intensive
Care Patient
 To see medical clowning and clinical benefits of laughter integrated into health care
 To provide clown services to all children in
local hospitals, hospices, and care facilities
 To offer clown, humor and play workshops
to help fund our hospital work
 To educate the American public about the
Art of Clown
“It made a huge difference; absolutely huge.”
– Lisa Foster, dialysis nurse, of an interaction
we had with a 9-year-old boy with autism
Did you know?
Laughter has been proven to positively affect
cardiac health and lower pain levels.
Our Financials
Income by Category
Total: $73,196
A big thank you to those
who donated their
time and talents!
Ali Atri
Meredith Carey
Tahoma Doyle & Magnuson Series
Robert Falk
Megan Gott
Dominique Grandmougin
Carla Hellekson
Caitlin Jackson
Colleen Jamieson
Forrest Kinney
Amanda Litzinger
Katie Avery McKenzie
Aubrey Miller
Nathan Hale Cheerleaders
Abby Neupert
Janet Rayor
Milagros Ridoutt
Kathryn Rule
Savannah Scofield
Seattle Fire Station #38, Ravenna
Seattle Works Volunteer Team
Amy Stephson
Mineri Yuasa
In-Kind Sponsors
Expenses by Category
Total: $72,153.28
Ballard Market, Town &
Country Markets
Caruh Salon & Spa
Pandora Christie and Tom Dudler
Dahl Arts Ceramic/Pottery Studio
La Panier
La Parisienne
Merry Makers
Metropolitain Market
Molly’s
Chris and Vicki Pallis
Quality Food Centers
Rouge
Linda Severt
Whole Foods
Board of Directors
Victoria Millard – President
Michael de Groot – Vice President
Carrie Wernick-Newman – Secretary
Michel Gaultier – Treasurer
Shannon Flora
James Thompson
Staff
Victoria Millard – Executive Director
Linda Severt – Program Manager
Chris Scofield – Office Manager
Medical Clowns
Linda Severt – Dr. Hamsterfuzz
Keith Hitchcock – Dr. Voila!
Jeff Blank – Dr. Truman B. Awesome
Sarah Liane Foster – Dr. Whiz Bang Magilicutty
Jane Nichols – Dr. Princess Smartypants
Advisory Council
Michael Christenson
Leland Hartwell, PhD
David Avery, M.D.
Anne Phalen, M.D.
Jane Nichols
Our Colleagues at
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Lynel Westby
Alison Garrison
Debbie Kruse
Lina Lewis
The Childlife Dept.
Our Retiring Board Members
Michel Gaultier
Jane Nichols
“That was truly remarkable and
touching to watch.”
– 4Culture reviewer after watching our interaction with a special needs boy in a wheelchair.
The following story is an example of how we
use the art form of clowning in a medical context to empower and motivate patients.
A Really Big Small Act
by the distinguished Dr. Hamsterfuzz
I entered the sliding glass door of a five-yearold cancer patient’s room, closing the door behind me to set up my partner, Dr. Awesome,
for our “slam into the door” gag. “Oh no!” I
said, turning around to see him plastered
against the glass. “What should I do?” I asked
the patient. “You have to hold it,” came a little
voice from the bed. “Oh, I see.” I said. “Okay,
I’ll hold it this time.” I walked back out of the
room to get my partner and then came back in,
holding the door a little longer and then closing it just before Dr. Awesome got to the glass.
WHAM, and Dr. Awesome again splatted
against the glass door. “Oh no!” I exclaimed.
“What should I do now?!” The patient, giggling, said, “You have to hold it longer!” “Oh,
okay, “ I said, “I’ll hold it longer.”
I went back out the door, came back in and
held the door for a little longer, closing it just
as Dr. Awesome was halfway through the door.
“Aaaaugh!” said Dr. Awesome with his arms
and legs squirming inside the door, and his
body stuck outside. “Oh, now look! What are
we going to do now?!” I asked the boy. The
patient, exasperated, pushed his covers back,
got up out of bed, walked over to the door and
pulled it open, releasing Dr. Awesome from the
grip of the sliding glass door. “Oh, thank goodness; you saved me!” said Dr. Awesome, shaking his arms and legs out.
The boy climbed back into bed and we came
up with some more shenanigans for him and
his father. As we were about to leave the room,
THE BOY’S FATHER GAVE US BOTH BIG HUGS,
AND SAID, TEARFULLY, “WE’VE BEEN TRYING
ALL DAY AND THAT’S ONLY THE SECOND TIME
HE’S GOTTEN UP, AND HE EVEN PUSHED THE
DOOR OPEN. THAT WAS BIG, THAT WAS REALLY
BIG. THANK YOU SO MUCH.”
Room Circus 2014-15 Fiscal Year Supporters
Order of the Red Nose
$5,000-$9,999
David Avery & Victoria Millard
Amy Stephson & Brian Rapalee in honor of Victoria Millard
Mark & Debra Perry
Cynthia Stroum Endowment & SCH
Ringmaster’s Circle
$1,000-$4,999
4 Culture
Mary Reeve
Gordon Younger
Merry Makers & Mark Wilson
Beardsley Foundation
Betsey Beckman
Seattle Office of Arts and Culture
Big Top Stakeholders
$500-$999
Alan Shwartz & Ava Dubno
Carrie Wernick & Jeff Newman
Parker Lindner & Ann Zavitkovsky
D'vorah Kost
in honor of Victoria Millard &
in memory of Ruby Smith
Rebecca Barnes
Bruce Millard
Roger Severt
Brian & Lyn Grant
Chris and Vicki Pallis
Judith Shepherd & Charles Laird
in memory of Faith Laird
Kyle & Rachel Garton
Michael De Groot
Thomas Thompson & Lisa Borichewski
Baggy Pants Brigade
$200-$499
Kathryn & Donald Rule
Paul & Lucy Lange
Mai & Michael Norden
Cynthia Huffman & Ray Heacox
Joyce Millard Hoie
Timohty & Esther Steege
Seattle Foundation
Bertrand & Brooke de Boutray
Catherine Thayer
Christian Swenson & Abigail Halprin
Janet McAlpin
Laurie & Kurt Heidorn
Pandora Christie & Tom Dudler
Scott Barnhart & Ourania Malliris
The Sweet Spot, Inc. & Lara Olsha
Ben Haynor
Helen P. Wertheimer in honor of
Jane "Dr. Smartypants"
Karen Stuhldreher
Shannon Flora
Susan Finneran
J. Chris McEwen
Sara Houston
Anne Noonan & Douglas Anderson
Arifulla Khan
Asa Rottsolk
Danny & Linda Rude
Frank & Cora Trujillo
Pamela A Hughes
Robert & Lisabeth Macht
Rick & Vicki Duchaine
in honor of Steven Duchaine
Zell Millard
Carol Munro
Rubber Chicken Club
$1-$99
Keepers of the Clown Car
$100-$199
Anonymous
John & Beth Kealy
Krista Harris
Veronica & Robert Wood
in memory of Kate Wood
Carla Hellekson
Jeffrey Docter
Gordon A. Sako
Barbara BonJour
Bruce Leven
Catherine Englehart
Christine Nautiyal
Cyd Smith
Dawn English
Edith Farrar
Eric Nothman
Gary Jacky
Graydon Andrus
Jan Hillson
John & Karin Kallander
John Featherston & Deborah Paul
Karen Smith
Keith & Cindy Ervin
Kristin Gabrielson
Lee Hartwell & Theresa Naujack
Lisa Koch
Lisa Maynard
Marina Skumanich
Mark Wilkins
Maureen Hawkins
Michael Tokuyama
Michel Gaultier
Michelle Marshall
Nancy Bayer
Olivier Martinez
Pepper Goldsmith &
Deborah Clarke-Bome
Richard Adams
Robert Stern & Dina Burstein
Rosalie Frankl & Fred Mednick
Sheila Lyon
Susan Leavitt
Suzanne Travis
Sylvia Kealy
Thomas Brogan
Virginia Wilcox
Robert Welland & Mary Casey
Suzanne Mager
Allan & Nancy Carson
Madeline McKenzie
Barbara Sandberg & Denise Hughes
Carol Glass
Carolyn Petti
Claus & Thyrsa Jensen
Hunter Severt
Janet Rayor
Jean Greaves in honor of
Carrie Wernick Newman
Jeanne Forti
John Bell
Larry & Jan Wilson
Leah Rapalee
Linda Hoedemaker
Lynel Joy Westby
Mary Abbott
Norman Deam
Roger T Kelem in memory of
Marian Brennan
Steven Gary
Tamara Oliver
Alan Genatossio
Danielle DeBrey
Karen Kelleher
Shira & Matt Brewer
Zachary Drummond
Ariel Rathbun
Erik Vaneaton & Amy Morris
Fai Coffin
Jeffry & Ann Berner
Brent Williamson
Catherine Dallas
Charlotte Wernick
Errol Craig
James & Merril Lundgren
James Jackson
Lane Lee Nothman &
Martin I Perlman
Laurel Severt
LillianBob Lewis
Marc Pease
Shawn & Christian Andersen
Tony & Pam Puglisi
Greg Stamolis
Judith Stoloff
Sarah Kaplan
Seth Gordon Rosenbloom
Amazon Smile
Scott Hennes
“Thank you!—The clowns
were an absolutely wonderful
surprise—the highlight of my
son’s stay! Would suggest
they be made available
to each child—7 days
each week!!”
—A parent
“They are the highlight of my
Tuesdays! They are so joyful
and fun and talented! The
kids and families love
them and the nurses
do too!”
“These folks
are essential for
patient emotional
and mental care while
at the hosptal! They can
decrease pain.”
—A nurse
“Clowns are very
healing. Laughter is
healing. Thank you.”
—A doctor
—A nurse
www.roomcircus.org
facebook.com/roomcircus