25 Years of Laughter with CommBank

The Clown Choir: Spreading Joy Across CBA Branches

This year’s Smile Month was extra special with the introduction of the Clown Choir, where CommBank staff joined forces with our Clown Doctors to visit CBA branches and head offices nationwide. This unique collaboration brought joy and laughter directly to CommBank employees and customers, reinforcing the power of a shared smile.

Jimmy Rees Joined as an Honorary Clown Doctor

We were thrilled to have renowned comedian and children’s entertainer, Jimmy Rees OAM, come on board as an honorary Clown Doctor. Jimmy, known for his role in the children’s television program Giggle and Hoot and his highly popular satires on YouTube and Instagram, visited the Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne with Clown Doctors Dr Tickle and Dr Fairy Floss, bringing joy to young patients and their families. His involvement helped raise awareness about the essential work of our Clown Doctors and the impact of laughter on sick children.

Jimmy’s personal connection to the Clown Doctors through his nephew’s hospital experience made his support even more meaningful. ‘The Clown Doctors are incredible people. In hospital, patients and their families are going through some of the hardest experiences they’ve ever had to go through, and they need a bit of respite,’ Jimmy shared.

 

A Sincere Thank You to CommBank

CommBank’s generosity and support have been pivotal in the growth and success of the Clown Doctors program. Since 1999, CommBank has helped us bring laughter to over 950,000 children, carers, and hospital staff across Australia. This year, Smile Month raised much-needed funds through various events and initiatives, with in-branch donations matched by the CommBank Staff Foundation up to $100,000.

Emma Pollard, CEO of The Humour Foundation, praised CommBank’s enduring partnership, stating, ‘CommBank’s support has been critical to the growth and impact of the Clown Doctors program. Over the 25 years of our partnership, they have supported more than 8,000 Clown Doctor Rounds in hospitals all around Australia, putting smiles on the faces of over 950,000 children, carers, and staff.’

As we celebrate the conclusion of this year’s Smile Month, we thank CommBank for being our partner in this journey. Here’s to many more years of joy and laughter, as we hit 1 million smiles in 2024!