They say that laughter is the best medicine. The Up, an organisation that brings joy to humanity is proving this to be true.

Nikki Jackman, the founder of The Up explains how it all got started, “I started the UP in 2003,” she says, “After choosing to use my talents for greater purpose, I researched laughter therapy and hospital clowning. I saw the gap there was to bring extra emotional care to sick and traumatised children and so The UP was born”.

Working with numerous hospitals in the Western Cape and Gauteng, groups of Up Care Clowns are trained and committed to visiting weekly or monthly as a group. “A Care Clown is the best version of you,” Jackman says, “It’s the child-like all loving, non-judgmental, awesomely creative and enthusiastic being that deeply cares and gives freely”.

“Scientifically speaking this type of emotional support work has been proven to aid the children’s recovery,” she says, “Beyond the science, I have seen and experienced the joyful sharing of play and laughter being a gift to ALL”.

In response to a question about the most inspirational thing a child has said to her, Jackman simply says, “I’ve had many little ones say ‘I love you’ and I hold their hand, in one big hand hug and with all my heart I say it back to them, I wish all humanity could do that”.

Running The Up does come with a few challenges. Jackman mentions that marketing and PR are amongst their biggest challenges, “I envision a time where folk will know our name, think joy, find joy and step UP to be part of joyous solutions for the world”.

“We have so many wonderful ways for folk to sUPport us, you can be trained UP,” she says, “You can inspire your team to do hands on CSI and do our corporate care clowning program – imagine during work hours taking a few hours to go share joy! You can also become a monthly or once off donor. All contributions help UP to train more Care Clowns and grow joy in hospitals and homes around South Africa”.

This is The Up’s story of help.more info click here  To read more stories like these, visit www.youcanhelp.co.za  If you want to help:

Cell:  083 700 7947

Email: upliftmentprogramme@gmail.com

Website: theup.org.za