These days, curing the sick is done primarily by applying medical procedures or prescribing pharmaceuticals. However, there are instances where medicines and medical equipment do not suffice in bringing a sick person back to good health. There are many people who believe that this is because of a missing factor. Apparently it takes more than capsules and tablets to effectively cure a sick person. It takes the power of laughter to get better.
What’s Up?
The old saying that laughter is the best medicine endures to this day. The power of joy seems to be working and the Up Organization is determined to prove this as a fact. The person who founded the organization intended to utilize joy as the key ingredient to make people better.
Nikki Jackman founded The Up in 2003 and started to maximize the power of laughter and joy to heal the sick. According to Jackman, she conducted extensive research about laughter therapy and hospital clowning. For Jackman, there is a huge gap in the manner by which sick and traumatized children are taken care of. She realized that an extra emotional boost had a huge effect in helping the sick recover. With her vision and determination, The Up was established.
Send in the Care Clowns
The Up Organization is mostly represented by Care Clowns. According to Jackman, a Care Clown represents “the best version” of a person. Care Clowns are enthusiastic, unbelievably creative, loving and non-judgmental persona. Jackman said that they are human beings full of care and generosity. Care Clowns from the organization works with hospitals located at Gauteng and in the Western Cape in South Africa. They are properly trained to execute joy therapy and are very committed to do weekly or monthly visits to the hospitals they were assigned to.
Love is all around
Jackman states that scientifically speaking, the type of emotional support the organization is providing to patients contributes successfully to their recovery. She also explains that beyond the world of science, laughter is a gift anyone can enjoy.
Jackman has a very close bond with children. Many of the kids she’s helped say the words “I love you” to her as a sign of gratitude and appreciation. Whenever Jackman hears those words, she returns them and gives the child a big hug.
Challenges to overcome
Any institution or organization aiming to improve people’s way of life encounters a number of challenges along the way. With almost a decade of service, The Up is still pondering on how to improve its PR and marketing strategies. Having a name that everyone will respond to would not only help expand the organization to a larger scale. It would also open more doors to people who will benefit from their services. Jackman envisions an organization that is recognized instantly by people who will respond to it positively and associate the group’s name with joy whenever they hear it.
Open to everyone
The Up Organization offers training for those who want to become Care Clowns. Contributions are also accepted and are used to help the organization in the training of more Care Clowns. One day, The Up will have the capacity to serve and give joy to more hospitals and homes all throughout South Africa.
Photo Credit: Laughter
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