Clowns and children - an ideal combination, something for the heart. Clowns and sick children - this combination touches us even more. For good reason. Yet beyond spontaneous agreement, many questions remain: What exactly do clowns achieve with sick children? Can this positive effect be proven? How do doctors and nurses in hospitals react? Who are these people that work as clowns? In this book, Ulrich Fey combines insights from scientific research with his experiential knowledge from nearly two decades as a hospital clown. He attempts to provide a nuanced picture of these clowns - far removed from the glorification as healers and the disparagement as mere sources of distraction. He focuses on those who have fallen out of the spotlight amidst all the questions about costs and structures, and the many hidden fears: the sick children. A book for.