You know what they say, laughter is the best form of medicine. This idea is now being applied to hospital practices as new research indicates that "clown therapy" reduces stress and anxiety in child patients and their parents. Different from the painted faces of your nightmares, these clowns use jokes and pranks to provoke laughter and release endorphins in their patients, reducing the need for painkillers and improving general health.

In Israel, medical clowning has become an established practice that is not to be laughed at. These Dream Doctors help cheer and heal children in hospital wards and are even present during surgeries. One Israeli study showed that the presence of clowns helps increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant during IVF fertility treatment from 20.2% to 36.4%.

The success of medical clowning has been spread across the world and there are lots of charitable organisations that support this humorous healing. 

Perhaps it’s time to ditch our old nightmare vision of clowns and instead let them do their bit of good in the world, with a doctor’s coat, a red nose, and putting a smile on a little kid’s face.