Photo credit: Catherine Desautels

Maison St-Raphaël and the Dr Clown Foundation

Partner to Bring Joy at the End of Life

October 29, 2024, Montréal – St. Raphael’s Palliative Care Home and Day Centre and the Dr Clown Foundation are pleased to announce a new partnership in which they will explore the therapeutic potential of clowns in a palliative care setting.

Known for its work with hospitalized children, the Dr Clown Foundation carried out a pilot project in 2018 in an adult palliative care unit. Encouraged by the positive results it obtained, the Foundation went into several other establishments before bringing its unique lighthearted and playful approach to Maison St-Raphaël. Working together, they strive to foster the wellness of people at the end of life and of their loved ones.

Since October 2024, therapeutic clowns have been visiting Maison St-Raphaël patients and their families. These visits will continue until the end of June 2025. During this time, the Maison St-Raphaël team and the clowns will work closely to maximize the benefits of these playful visits.

“Maison St-Raphaël has always emphasized the importance of a holistic, humanistic approach to palliative care, and this partnership with the Dr Clown Foundation aligns perfectly with that vision. Therapeutic clowns spread joy and are a reassuring presence, focusing on the emotions and relationships that enrich the experience of patients, families and healthcare providers alike. We are proud to support this initiative, which is aligned with our ever-present desire to innovate and better meet our community’s needs.”

Olivia Lévêque
Executive Director of Maison St-Raphaël

“The many wonderful encounters in CHSLDs with people at the end of life have shown us that the music, poetry and presence of Dr Clown’s therapeutic artists can further the mission of palliative care in Quebec: to offer patients and their loved ones the best possible quality of life. This new partnership with Maison St-Raphaël allows us to strengthen our approach and spread as much joy as possible to those who need it.”

Martin Goyette
Executive Director of the Dr Clown Foundation

About Maison St-Raphaël

Located in Montréal, Maison St-Raphaël is a charitable organization that houses a palliative care home and a palliative care day centre under one roof—the first of its kind in the city—offering exceptional palliative and wellness care, free of charge, to those living with an incurable disease, to caregivers and to the bereaved.

About the Dr Clown Foundation

Since 2002, Dr Clown Foundation has been dedicated to improving the well-being and quality of life of as many individuals as possible. Therapeutic clowns create meaningful connections with people in healthcare and educational settings, providing them with moments of compassion, play and laughter that help strengthen their resilience. The Foundation runs two separate programs: Dr Clown, designed for schools and hospitals, and La Belle Visite, intended for seniors. Both aim to create caring and respectful relationships that bring a breath of joy into environments where sometimes little exists. This caring expertise is shared with anyone who would like to enhance their interpersonal and artistic skills.

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For information on Maison St-Raphaël:

Véronique Duret, Senior Communication Advisor
514-668-2208
veroniqueduret@maisonstraphael.org
https://maisonstraphael.org/en/
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For information on the Dr Clown Foundation:

Eric D’Alo, Communications and Marketing Advisor
514-297-4264
edalo@drclown.ca
www.fondationdrclown.ca/en/
FacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTube

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