Meeting Dr. Red Nose – Moving Forward Bravely with Hope—The Encounter Between a Dr. Red Nose and Tu Bao

A while ago, Tu Bao mentioned in an article in the Mandarin Daily News: “At the beginning of my illness and hospitalization, my daily life was filled with IV drips and pills. I only felt happy when I saw the lunch Mom cooked and the Medical Clown at the hospital ❤️.” Looking back now at the days when we had just received the diagnosis and spent long periods in intensive hospitalization, I still feel a lump in my throat, sadness, and tears. My heart aches for how many countless injections and medicines my child had to endure.

In the past, I was very interested in the performing arts, especially stage plays and musicals, and I also had friends who taught improvisational theater and performed as contemporary clowns. I remember the first time I saw the Medical Clown’ schedule posted on a hospital bulletin board. I was incredibly excited—as if something different had been added to the daily routine of treatment—and I looked forward even more to the arrival of the #clowndoctors 🌈.

After eagerly waiting and waiting 👀, the day the Medical Clown finally arrived came. Before Dr. Red Nose even reached our ward, many children were already ready to follow them around on their rounds, visiting other rooms. Children who had been lying in bed with little energy or mobility suddenly became full of life; children experiencing many discomforts from treatment side effects also laughed heartily along with the Medical Clown, forgetting their illnesses and the hardships of treatment.

What I remember most vividly was one time when a group of parents and children followed the Medical Clown, singing and dancing as we happily paraded in circles around the hallway, like a carnival. Sometimes a child would miss the Medical Clown because of treatment, or be resting due to feeling unwell after treatment. The Medical Clown would always thoughtfully and warmly leave stickers or small tokens, allowing the children to feel the Medical Clown’ care and blessings 🌹.

Almost every time the Medical Clown came, I sang, danced, and acted along with them, while also being moved to tears.

The impact and inspiration brought by Dr. Red Nose extend beyond the children to their parents and caregivers, as well as all the medical staff in the ward. We often saw medical personnel laughing heartily after being entertained by them. Amid their busy and demanding work, they too received healing and relief from stress and tension.

I remember once seeing on Dr. Red Nose’ Facebook page that the fundraising situation was urgent, with a funding shortfall that needed to be filled. I was so anxious and hoped I could do more. I felt that such an important source of emotional support for children should have more resources, and could even be expanded to more cities and counties and more hospitals, reaching more children. As a die-hard fan, besides showing my support through my own actions, I also had to rally the people around me to respond!

I was so happy to later see influencers, news reports, TV dramas, and programs featuring more coverage of Dr. Red Nose, allowing more people to join in supporting them! I was truly moved!

I want to once again profess my gratitude and love to Dr. Red Nose and their teams~ Thank you ❤️.

Thank you for those moments when we could “laugh happily and forget the pain.” I also hope that the interactions and feedback from the children and parents can become nourishment and motivation for you. Because of you, we are not alone on the journey of treatment. Because of you, we know that being brave does not mean having no fear, but having hope in the midst of fear and continuing forward.

(The child in the photo is not Tu Bao; this is an illustrative photo. May we move forward bravely together and have a carnival.)

🔴Tu Bao’s fan page: Tu Bao KO ALL: Tu Bao’s Battle Against Leukemia Diary

🔴Tu Bao’s YouTube channel: The Curious Kiwi Rabbit