The Clownbulance is a unique project dedicated to making wishes come true for very sick children that are hospitalized for long periods of time. What sets the project apart is that it enables the child to leave the hospital environment and travel in the “Clownbulance” to and from the longed-for wish. The Clownbulance is a vehicle painted in cheerful and uplifting colors that is adapted to the needs of the children and medical clowns. Each child is escorted throughout the day by medical clowns with whom the child has a deep relationship. The clowns ensure that the day is unforgettable, and that the wish is realized to the fullest. Such days infuse the child and his/her family with joy, hope and strength, and make their challenging journey a little easier.
During these challenging days under the shadow of the “Iron swords” war in Israel, the Clownbulance is devoted to continuing our routine activity. In addition, due to the emerging needs we have established a support initiative to aid families who were hurt during the black Saturday of 10/7. The survivors who were evacuated from their homes are now refugees temporarily residing in hotels, the Clownbulance team has taken it upon itself to arrive to those resettled communities to provide relief activities.
The Clownbulance project was founded in 2015 by two full-time medical clowns – Smadar Harpak and Nimrod Eisenberg, and today involves around 100 medical clowns. Medical clowning has become an integral component of care in many hospitals. Through the clowning barriers are broken, fears are released and an optimistic space is formed. The hope that the clown brings to the child is magical; this magic can be seen day in and day out in the gloomy hospital wards.
The project was motivated out of a strong desire to enable sick children to get away from their demanding and painful treatment routine and give them and their families a thrilling and uplifting experience. The wish fulfillment is the pinnacle event that is part of a long treatment process that the child and the clown go through together during the hospitalization period. The child and the clown define the wish and the Clownbulance crew plan, organize and produce the event and customize it to suit the medical condition of the child.
There is no other vehicle like the Clownbulance in Israel. It is a vehicle that has been upgraded and designed to meet the needs of the medical clowns and children, and operates in full cooperation with the hospitals. We aspire to be able, in the future to make the wishes of those physically and emotionally hurt children come true, if even for a day.
We need your help to make the children’s dreams come true!
The project is funded solely by donations. The wish-fulfilment day is given to the children and their families at no cost. We are trying to raise as many funds as possible so that no sick child that wants to make his/her dream come true will be refused. The wish list is long and unfortunately time is a critical factor in most cases. We need your donation in order to fulfil as many wishes as possible, as soon as possible.
We are grateful for every donation and promise to do our utmost best to put a desperately needed smile on the faces of these children and their families.
