Giggle Doctor Take Over Day at Leeds Children's Hospital

For the past decade, since November 2014, Giggle Doctors like Dr Boogie Woogie and Dr Teapot have been visiting Leeds Children’s Hospital – one of the UK’s largest specialist children’s hospitals. Giggle Doctors are professional performers from Theodora Children’s Charity, who undergo specialist training over two years to equip them to work in hospitals and specialist care centres.

Giggle Doctors work alongside the exceptional Play Team at Leeds Children’s Hospital to help reduce stress and anxiety, create opportunities for play, and improve children’s hospital experience. Every Monday, two Giggle Doctors bounce onto the wards to combine music, play, magic and storytelling to bring joy, laughter and magical moments to children when they need it most.

Emma, a Senior Healthcare Play Specialist at Leeds Children’s Hospital expressed,

“I absolutely love their visits! I love how it lightens the mood on the ward (after all, laughter can be catching!) The whole ward just seems even more fun and happy during a visit. This helps the children engage together too, which helps promote the playful environment we strive to achieve.”

Children admitted to hospital may require regular attendance for surgery, treatment or what can be painful procedures, so for them the hospital experience can be very distressing and frightening.

When explaining the difference visits make, the Therapeutic and Specialised Play Manager Lisa Beaumont shared,

“The Giggle Doctors make such a positive impact to all our sick children; they bring smiles and laughter at what can be a very sad and difficult time. Many of our children spend huge periods of time accessing very specialised care at Leeds Children’s Hospital and are often also a long way from family and friends. The Giggle Doctors really do help make such a difference to so many sick children during their wonderful visits.”

In just 6 months the Giggle Doctors brought joy and laughter to 1,166 children, and by the end of December 2024 they will have carried out 100 visits at Leeds Children’s Hospital – their largest ever number in a single year! Their visits also play a significant role in easing the anxiety of parents/carers as they see their child laugh, often for the first time in a long-time. They contribute towards the positive atmosphere on the ward and can help improve the mood for NHS members of staff too. 

This Giggle Doctor Take Over Day celebrated the wonderful 10-year partnership between Theodora Children’s Charity and Leeds Children’s Hospital working together to transform children’s experience in hospital and provide vital opportunities for play for over 7,000 children since 2014 – and aimed to break the record number of giggles for children, families and members of staff in hospital in just one day!