Marcelle Kersenboom nearly died in childhood but now she brings laughter to other kids

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only clown in the country with a pacemaker — plus partial deafness, balance problems and a shunt in the brain.

I have lived with disability since early childhood, and found a way to do what I love for work.

In fact, I believe it is only because of the difficult start in life I had, that I managed to create my clowning career.

If I hadn't learned how to laugh through tough times, and create extraordinary imaginary worlds for others to explore, I could never have succeeded as a clown.

I believe everyone needs laughter to cope with life, especially people with disabilities.

And while I know there are lots of sicknesses laughter can't heal, and kids it can't make better, I think it's the most important thing we've got.

Hard-learned early lessons

When I was four I often wondered why I had headaches all the time when my big brother Otto never did.

I also had trouble with my balance and hearing, so my parents took me to the doctor, which turned into many visits to many doctors as no-one knew what was wrong with me.

Finally, tests revealed tumours in my brain, which needed removing.

I was in and out of hospital over the next 10 years, spending extended periods there to recover from operations a few times, and six days in a coma at one point.

It was hard, the hardest time of my life, and I learned to cope with the pain, fear and boredom of those days using my imagination.

A children's picture book my parents often read to me called The Magic Key let my mind spend time in a fantasy land, where everything was colourful, possible and fun.

Back in reality, and finished with operations for the time being, my kind-hearted, no-nonsense parents acted against doctors' advice to put me in a home.

Instead, they determinedly socialised me, through activities ranging from learning German to doing drama, which I instantly took to.

And somewhere in all of this 'improvement', possibly from my funny dad, I learned that what made me feel better than anything else was laughing, and making others laugh when I could.

'Make a business out of what you know best'

I left secondary school wanting to help others with disabilities, and over the next decade or so, worked in disability support and childcare.

But more and more I found the hours weren't enough and, wondering what to do next, I travelled interstate to visit an old friend.

Jenny had been my favourite nurse back in hospital, and while she is a very loving person, the only love she gives is the tough type.

That took me by surprise. What did I know best?

And what work was possible for someone who couldn't use their right hand or stay steady on their feet?

As usual, Jenny didn't take any argument that day.

After I admitted I liked theatre, was good with kids and could maybe try being a clown, she gave it to me straight.

"You go home and become a clown," she said, and in reply to my 'buts', "You'll work it out."

Enter Cuddles the clown

I started a kind of clown apprenticeship with an experienced performer called Smartie, and we worked together for three months, until she left town.

It was then that the clown character I had created for myself, Cuddles the Clown, had to step up.

I began busking as Cuddles, and with help from some street theatre friends, improved my use of music, props, makeup and technology.

It was a steep learning curve.

After realising it was only the parents of my audience members who had any money, I even learned a bit about effectively promoting my act, and I was soon doing lots of booked gigs.

I drew on all sorts of life experiences and influences to entertain kids as Cuddles, including my drama and street theatre classes, and characters I had seen on TV.

But perhaps most importantly, I used my ability to imagine life in a magical land to transport my audiences away from their troubles.

When I was Cuddles, I was carefree and happy, everyone was where Cuddles lived, on 'Clownland.'

I made sure to show kids that Cuddles wasn't perfect — she did all sorts of things the 'wrong' or 'silly' way, and that was absolutely fine.

I wanted those children to know they didn't need to be perfect either, and especially when I volunteered in hospital wards, I wanted so badly to make the sick ones better.

Just like the doctors had healed me, all those years before.

The art of not growing up

Cuddles couldn't last forever, and 15 years after I created her, I let her go.

In stepped Twinkles the Fairy, and a year later, Coco the Clown — other characters I created as I grew older, while choosing to never grow 'up'.

All my characters have existed for the purpose of giving kids joy, and it makes me happy to remember some of the very many moments I achieved that.

I've entertained thousands of kids across the country, with everything from balloon modelling to duck-footed stilt-walking, and it's been so much fun.

Today, at nearly 60, I'm still at it, still dressing up in crazy clothes and stepping into character to give kids happiness.

I hope I help them see that just because you're in a grown-up body, you don't have to act grown-up all the time — there is room at every age for imagination, silliness and fun.

And most importantly, I hope they learn from me that while it can't cure everything, laughter makes most things much better, even the toughest times.

Source: ABC