Hunter Patch Adams , both a professional clown and doctor, has been made famous by the film that bears his name and stars Robin Williams. He has become so popular within the healing community by standing out in a crowd, promoting a radical healthcare system and challenging the most traditional medical models. For 27 years, Adams has advocated the effects that joy, fun, love, creativity, community and humor have on healing. He truly believes that these are integral parts of the healing process; therefore, health care must incorporate such things in life. With his clowning around, Adams has been able to lift the spirits of many seriously ill patients all over the world.

The history behind Patch Adams is just as exciting as his attire. As a freshman in college, Adams placed himself into a psychiatric hospital for depression and from then on promised himself that his life would be full of passion, joy and purpose. After he graduated from the Medical College of Virginia and finished his internship at Georgetown, he decided to quit his residency.

‘If you want to be a clown, join the circus’ is what Patch Adams was once told by an advisor. His ‘excessive happiness’ was critically noted in his official medical records at school. He did actually want to be a clown and be part of a circus, but he also wanted to be a doctor. With his desires, he combined his two very different personalities and become both. Patch, being both a doctor and a patient in a mental hospital, celebrates his victory of spirited individualism and his pursuit of idealistic dreams that never ended.

Adams is the Founder of the Gesundheith Institue in West Virginia and is on a mission to change how health care is offered, received and valued. After the Institute has treated 15,000 patients in its first 12 years (all without cost to patients), it has now become the next part of Adam’s vision, building his dream hospital- where intimacy and compassion take the place of malpractice insurance; and silliness and fun rule over liability waivers. The staff does not make a lot of money and patients do not pay anything. Exhaustion of caregivers and third-party insurance are non-existent. Joy is all that will exist in this hospital.

We have learned many lessons from Mr. Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams:

Justice, peace and care. No war.

Your life has meaning once you begin to give.

Everyone has their own version of how to love.

Accept others paths in life. As you are accepting change and working through self improvement, remember not everyone is doing the same thing. Everyone has different attitudes and values for life.

Success will not happen overnight; it takes time to acquire it.

If it is required that a staff be loving, happy, thoughtful and creative, the atmosphere will be fun for both caregivers and patients.

Healing needs to be a loving interchange between people and not business transaction.

Laughter is vital in healthy living. Laughter is considered to be the best medicine and also relieves stress.

Someone who is happy has a better immune system and is less susceptible to disease and illness.

Life must be fun!

This article is a Guest Post written by Melissa Tamura. Melissa writes about online degrees for the Zen College Life blog. A lifetime movie lover, she most recently wrote about the best online colleges.

You can purchase Patch Adams on Amazon by visiting Patch Adams

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