Clowning around at El Camino Hospital Clowning around at El Camino Hospital (July 16, 2004)

Jokesters lighten things up for patients

By Julie O'Shea

Melissa Parker will do anything for a laugh.

Equipped with a cart chock full of silly gadgets, a rubber chicken, amusing Hallmark cards and a dancing rat, Parker walks the halls of El Camino Hospital each Friday afternoon, looking for patients or even nurses who could use a good knock-knock jock.

Slinking into patients' rooms, armed sometimes with a can of bubbles or silly string, Parker asks if they are "looking for some happy." More often than not, she is invited to stay.

"Each room is a whole different experience," Parker said. "You never know what kind of reaction you are going to get."

Parker, who has done stand-up comedy in Los Angeles, has been the hospital's volunteer "jester" for nearly two years now. Parker's act is part of the hospital's healing arts program, which includes art classes for cancer patients, a massage therapist for the nursing staff and roving musicians for all to enjoy.

Efforts to bring more laughter to El Camino blossomed out of one doctor's personal crusade.

Seven years ago, Dr. Josh Sickel did his first stand-up routine during an open-mike night at Sunnyvale comedy club Rooster T. Feathers and had an epiphany.

"It was absolutely heart-stopping," said Sickel, who, having given dozens of medical lectures during his 15-year career, was no stranger to public speaking. But, he admits, he was more than a little nervous.

"I don't know if the audience felt sorry for me, but I killed. I had a great night out."

A few weeks later, Sickel, one of El Camino's leading pathologists, was browsing the humor section in a local bookstore when he came across several titles about humor and healing. The books were all written by nurses.

"I felt like I was reading about myself," Sickel said.

Shortly after, Sickel, using his own money, brought reruns of "I Love Lucy" and "The Carol Burnett Show" to hospital patients though a closed-circuit television network.

"I didn't really have any expectations in the beginning," Sickel said. "It just makes sense to me to give back to the institution where I work."

Since then, Sickel, has become El Camino's very own Patch Adams, the campy physician brought to the big screen by Robin Williams. And now, with popularity growing for the hospital's weekly music sessions and art classes, El Camino's board of directors is chipping in to help cover the costs of the healing arts program.

"This is a great concept -- humor," hospital spokesperson Judy Twitchell said. "Both ends of the care-giving spectrum can use that."

Sickel couldn't agree more. The bookshelves of his first-floor office are lined with such titles as "Laugh For No Reason," "How to be Funny" and "Lighten Up." The artwork on the walls and little trinkets coating his desk give his office a soft, whimsical look. Sickel, an East Coast native, said the atmosphere helps keep his creative juices following.

Asked if moving west helped loosen him up, Sickel laughed.

"I don't necessarily think California has done this to me. I think it's been sort of my calling," he said.

E-mail Julie O'Shea at joshea@mv-voice.com

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