“We do hospital clowning in Houston through Cheerful Clown Alley. One group goes to Texas Children’s Hospital, but I go to St. Luke’s.

“I feel more drawn to the older adults. I think adults need to smile way more than kids do. Kids can find joy in little things. Adults, senior citizens, they’re at the last stage of their lives. I just think there needs to be more joy there.

“One time I entered a hospital room, and the lady was waiting for hospice. But you have to put on your clown face because she asked you to come into her room to give her a smile. That can be tough, but you know you’re touching someone’s heart at a very difficult moment in their life. It’s a very meaningful connection that you make.

“As you learn the whole trade of clowning you pick up different things, like a little magic, balloons, face painting. I discovered puppets. I started with little Donut. He’s a squirrel, and his favorite nuts are ‘do-nuts.’ He’s a rescue squirrel. The firemen had to come get him because he was stuck in the ‘pan-tree.’ He doesn’t talk, so he just plays peekaboo. I take him to special needs events, and the kids love him.

“I also have a priest puppet named Father Felix that I use sometimes. A friend made him a little collar and costume. And last Christmas, my son and his wife gave me a Jesus puppet. I haven’t developed a voice for him yet. Not really sure how I’m going to do that? No pressure there, coming up with a voice for Jesus.”

— Linda “Noodles” Cooper

Related:

• Clown heart more important than costume, makeup

The post Noodles the clown makes connection with patients appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“It was my 50th birthday, and family had gathered at my son’s house. They asked, ‘Hey, mom, where do you want to go for dinner?’ And I’m like, ‘Why do we have to go eat dinner somewhere? I’m 50 years old, and I’ve never had a clown or a pony for my birthday.’ So they got me a clown.

“Her name was Sally. She came to the house, and she painted my face and my mom’s face. We really got into it. Then I watched her with my little grandsons. She was doing magic tricks, read them a story, and told them some jokes. Their faces just lit up. That’s when I thought, you know what? When I retire, I’m going to be a clown, too.”

Her husband of 27 years suffered a heart attack and died in 2011. She retired in 2012 and graduated clown school through Cheerful Clown Alley in 2014.

“Anybody can buy a costume, makeup and a nose. But if you don’t have that clown heart, you won’t last long. I think it’s the ability to look into somebody’s eyes and know that they would appreciate your humor. I clown all the time. I find it hard to be serious sometimes. I plan to keep doing this until I can’t.

“I don’t want to lose my clown heart. Because I kind of feel like whatever life throws at me, I want to be bright. I want to see the good in things. I love our little clown prayer. Part of it goes, ‘Never let me fail to see the wonder in the eyes of a child or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.’ I want to hold onto that. I think it’s really gotten me through some tough times. While I’ve brought joy to a lot of people, being a clown has also given me a strength.”

— Linda “Noodles” Cooper

Related:

• Noodles the clown makes connection with patients

The post ‘Clown heart’ more important than costume, makeup appeared first on The Baytown Project.