The HSBC Malta Foundation has backed the creation of a new cabin at Mater Dei Hospital for Dr Klown, the non-profit that brings professional clown doctors to children undergoing medical treatment.

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The new space offers a dedicated area for volunteers to prep for their hospital visits, store their costumes and props, and recharge in between rounds. It’s a small but meaningful investment in the group’s mission to lift spirits through humour.

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The cabin, now fully built and in use, reflects Dr Klown’s ethos in its design — filled with playful colours and thoughtful details intended to match the energy the clowns bring to hospital corridors.

A decade of laughter and support

Dr Klown has been active in Malta since 2010, offering regular hospital visits to help reduce stress and anxiety among young patients and their families. Over the past decade, the HSBC Malta Foundation has been one of the group’s longest-standing supporters — a partnership that’s now helping the organisation scale its impact inside the country’s largest hospital.

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“This new cabin is an essential addition to our work at Mater Dei,” said Eric Muscat from Dr Klown. “It gives our volunteers the space they need to prepare and stay focused before engaging with children. We’re deeply grateful to HSBC for making it happen and for supporting us so consistently over the years.”

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From the foundation’s side, the message was clear: it’s about backing long-term, high-impact work.

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Dr Klown has been making a meaningful impact on children’s hospital experiences for many years,” said Glenn Bugeja on behalf of the HSBC Malta Foundation. “We’re proud to support this initiative and to continue our decade-long relationship, helping to bring moments of joy in difficult times.”

With healthcare systems under pressure and mental health increasingly part of the conversation, small, joyful interventions like these are gaining attention for the role they play in supporting recovery — especially for young patients.