27.4.2016
- RED NOSES Foundation, Microsoft Hrvatska, and Hrvatski Telekom have provided the youngest patients at the Oncology Institute of the University Clinic for Tumours with the opportunity to communicate with clown doctors since February 2016
- 10 interactive sessions have been held thus far, which have been greatly welcomed by the children. The project currently includes 60 children and there are plans to extend it to other Croatian hospitals with oncology departments throughout the year
As a result of donation programme entitled Together We Are Stronger by Hrvatski Telekom and the support provided by the company Microsoft Hrvatska, RED NOSES Foundation launched its programme entitled Laughter is a Medicine – Skype with a Clown (Smijeh je lijek - Skype s klaunom) in February 2016. It is a praiseworthy project that through the use of cutting edge technologies provides ill children with the opportunity to interact with clown doctors also in the afternoon, which is frequently the most challenging period for ill children after their regular daily activities in hospital. Due to the advanced interactive communication system, children at the Zagreb-based University Clinic for Tumours have thus far had the opportunity to communicate with clown doctors 10 times. Songs, laughter, magic tricks, and entertaining games played during each session through a Skype programme integrated into an LCD TV set with an additional camera have delighted and cheered brave little patients. Therapeutic benefits of laughter are well-known, since laughter helps ill children to deal with the difficult moments spent away from their homes and families.
“Our specific objective is to help the treated children through humour and enhance their joy of living. Illness is a challenge for every living creature and it is especially so for children during such vulnerable developmental period, and hence detachment from sad and frequently uncertain daily routine is fundamental. Modern technology provides us with the opportunity of virtual presence at the hospital ward and we can offer children a different and a cheerful programme during the lonely afternoons. We would like to express our utmost gratitude for the support provided by our partners and donators in this initiative intended to promote the well-being of ill children,” emphasises Ivana Štulić, Project Manager in RED NOSES Foundation.
Microsoft Hrvatska is always delighted to participate in such projects, primarily when, due to innovative technologies, it is able to reach and connect people and cheer those most in need of laughter.
“I would like to express my utmost delight with the fact that Microsoft Hrvatska has been provided the opportunity to support the “Laughter is a Medicine – Skype with a Clown” programme and, through the application of modern technologies, enable a more comfortable and an easier hospital stay for children in oncology departments in Croatian hospitals. We are delighted with the fact that the pilot project at the Zagreb-based University Clinic for Tumours has proved highly successful and for the fact that it will soon be implemented also in other Croatian hospitals. We are striving to make “Laughter is a Medicine – Skype with a Clown” programme available for all the children whose hospital stay it could brighten up,” noted Lejla Zukić-Krivdić, Director of WinDays16 Conference. In addition, she expressed her gratitude to 3 PRO, a partner company that implemented Office 365, configured Skype for Business, and provided the required training to enable the previously mentioned video calls. Moreover, the company 3 PRO also provides support and assistance once a week upon request, aiming to address the current issues.
Together We Are Stronger donation programme by Hrvatski Telekom continues further investment in humanitarian projects and it is particularly proud of this year's project implemented with RED NOSES Foundation.
“Hrvatski Telekom would like to emphasise the success of its traditional contest “Together We Are Stronger”, through which we have provided assistance to around 240 valuable projects throughout the territory of Croatia during the last decade with over HRK 8 million, whilst RED NOSES is considered one of our winning projects in 2015. We are planning to support innovative and quality projects also in the future, as we have been doing for a number of years, aiming to promote the well-being and improvement of the society as a whole. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that through this contest we have managed to identify specific fields worth investing into. Consequently, we have recently invited a tender for projects or programmes promoting STEM education, intended for elementary school pupils through application of science and new technologies,” as pointed out by Bojan Mušćet from Hrvatski Telekom.