Dapto schoolboy James Wheeler is happy to take a silly selfie to promote the clown doctors who have brought a smile to his face during countless hospital stays.
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The 10-year-old suffers from the rare condition cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) and has multiple lesions in the brain that can bleed spontaneously at any time.
His mother Moira constantly needs to be on the lookout for the warning signs of a bleed – which can be as subtle as a mild headache – as it can be fatal if he does not get to hospital immediately.
‘‘It’s in the back of your mind at all times as we’ve nearly lost him on a number of occasions,’’ she said.
Mrs Wheeler said James was diagnosed with the condition after suffering his first haemorrhagic stroke at 11 months old which left him with hemiparesis on his left side.
Since then the Dapto Public student has been hospitalised more than 30 times, and undergone multiple surgeries. He now suffers as well from epilepsy which can see him have up to 24 seizures a day, he has acquired brain injury and has lost partial vision in both eyes.
The team at Sydney Children’s Hospital had been amazing, Mrs Wheeler said, though hospital could still be a scary place for her little boy. The clown doctors provide some much needed relief.
‘‘Think of how you feel when you go to work on Monday morning, then think of how you feel when Friday afternoon comes round - well the clown doctors are your Friday afternoon,’’ Mrs Wheeler said.
‘‘The beautiful thing is that they bring light and laughter to a room where a minute before there wasn’t any. Laughter really is the best medicine.’’
On Monday CommBank launched a social media campaign to raise funds for the clown doctors.
For every ‘‘silly selfie’’ shared on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #ClowningForKids, CommBank will donate $5 to the not-for-profit organisation.
Donations will go ahead until April 2, one day after the clown doctors’ national day of fund-raising, Smile Day.
‘‘Every time someone sends a goofy photo, money will be donated to this wonderful cause,’’ Mrs Wheeler said. ‘‘Clown doctors visit sick and injured children at every major children’s hospital across the country, and they really do make a difference.’’
