Spread a Smile

Spread a Smile is dedicated to improving the time spent by seriously ill children in hospital. We provide entertainers for seriously ill children and teenagers who are in hospital, often for prolonged periods of time, with life limiting conditions including cancer and heart, lung and kidney-related illnesses. We take entertainers such as fairies, pirates, children’s characters, musicians, magicians, singers, face painters and poets into paediatric wards, to activity centres and to children’s parties in Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College Hospital, The Royal London Hospital, St Mary's Hospital, The Evelina, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, King's College Hospital, The Royal Marsden and Noah's Ark Children's Hospice. Our aim is to divert their attention away from their treatment, stimulate their minds and to alleviate the boredom and monotony associated with sustained hospital stays. We also extend this work to the siblings of these children, as they are deeply affected by the illness of their sister or brother. There are potential additional benefits to our work. Guided by an advisory team of medical practitioners, we entertain thousands of children each year. There is emerging evidence to show that ‘laughter is the best medicine’ as it may help to strengthen the immune system, diminish pain and decrease levels of stress.