LE RIRE MÉDECIN
THE HEALING LAUGHTER

LE RIRE MÉDECIN – THE HEALING LAUGHTER IN NANTES
Created in 1991 by Caroline Simonds, Le Rire Médecin uses professional hospital clowns in paediatric wards and now has 35 years of experience. A pioneer in France and in Europe, Le Rire Médecin’s interventions are recognised for the benefits they bring to children, but also to parents and nursing staff.
The project is implemented in 20 hospitals in France, including two new hospitals in Orléans and Rennes. A total of 165 hospital clowns are involved, one-third of whom intervene in Paris hospitals. The profession of “hospital clown” has been officially recognised by the French authorities and included in the national register of occupations. This is a clear milestone for the association and reflects the success of its work.
Maternity : Totally integrated into the care project, the performances of the hospital clowns in the maternity ward, based mainly on humour, song and music, aim to encourage the activity of the mother towards the baby, to bring comfort and to help create a link in order to avoid rejection or even abuse. It is also sometimes to help to create a link with the nursing teams, a communication (in particular non-French speaking families)
Children at Risk Unit Children at risk unit: The clowns work with children from ages 0 to 18, whom the judiciary suspects have been abused. They are taken to a special forensic medicine ward where they go through tests with doctors, psychologists and policemen all in the same place. The purpose of the programme is the save the child from the trauma of reliving the suspected assault numerous times. The clowns first seek to reassure them and create a comforting environment.

Main indicators only for Necker Hospital in Paris:
• 536 play days completed during 2024/2025
• Number of children and mothers visited: several thousand