Discover the 7th programme of the Foundation «Planet of Dreams»
History
How it all began…
The Theodora Foundation was established in 1993 on the initiative of the brothers André and Jan Poulie, who named the foundation after their mother Theodora.
As a child, André Poulie had to spend several months in hospital after an accident. The regular visits from his mother Theodora brought him much joy. Many years later, this gave the two brothers the idea of making everyday life easier for children in hospital or in specialist care centers through the power of laughter.
Photo: André Poulie, at the age of 11 during his hospital stay, with his mother Theodora.
1993
First visit to the CHUV
Avril 1993
First visit of two Giggle Doctors to the CHUV in Lausanne as part of a pilot project.
Creation of the Foundation
Septembre 1993
Official founding date of the Theodora Foundation.
First visits in German-speaking Switzerland
Décembre 1993
First visits of the Giggle Doctors in German-speaking Switzerland at the hospital in Biel
1994
Start of activities in Italian-speaking Switzerland
Avril 1994
First hospital visits in Italian-speaking Switzerland; on 1 April in Mendrisio and on 20 April in Lugano
1995
The Theodora Foundation is recognised
Avril 1995
The Theodora Foundation is recognised as a non-profit organisation
1996
20 hospitals
Janvier 1996
The Giggle Doctors already visit 20 hospitals a week
1998
New program: «Mr and Mrs Dream»
1998
Launch of the “Mr and Mrs Dream” programme in Geneva
2003
10th anniversary
Avril 2003
The Theodora Foundation celebrates its 10th anniversary
2005
Office in German-speaking Switzerland
Septembre 2005
Opening of the office in Hunzenschwil
2006
Duttweiler Prize
Octobre 2006
The Theodora Foundation receives the “Adele Duttweiler Prize”
2007
Doron Prize
Octobre 2007
The Theodora Foundation receives the “Doron Prize”
1st edition of the “Night of Laughter”
Novembre 2007
The 1st edition of the “Night of Laughter” takes place in Lausanne
2010
Raiffeisen Prize
Août 2010
The Theodora Foundation receives the Raiffeisen Prize
2011
80’000 visits throughout Switzerland
Décembre 2011
Some 80,000 visits were made to children in 2011 realised by the Giggle Doctors
2012
New programme : «Little Orchestra of the Senses»
Janvier 2012
Launch of the “Little Orchestra of the Senses” in Chambesy
New programme : «the Little Champs»
Septembre 2012
Launch of the “Little Champs” programme in Aarau
58 Giggle Doctors
Octobre 2012
Already 58 Giggle Doctors are on the road in Switzerland
2013
20 years and 1 million visits
Janvier 2013
The millionth visit to a child in Switzerland is recorded
Guiness Record
Mars 2013
A Guinness record for the largest number of Dream Doctors in one place: To mark the Foundation’s 20th anniversary, 150 Theodora artists gather in front of the Federal Palace in Bern. Former Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann takes part in the festivities.
2014
New programme: the surgery assistance programme
Septembre 2014
Start of the surgery assistance programme in Zurich
2015
New branding
Avril 2015
The Theodora Foundation gets a new logo
100,000 visits
Décembre 2015
100,000 visits to children were realised in 2015 by the Giggle Doctors
2016
New class of Giggle Doctors
Juillet 2016
15 aspiring Giggle Doctors have successfully completed the training
Patients’ Day
Mars 2016
Johann Schneider-Ammann mentions the Theodora Foundation in his famous speech on the occasion of the “Day of the Sick”
2017
The surgery assistance programme in two new hospitals
Mars 2017
Launch of the surgery assistance programme in two new hospitals: the regional hospital in Bellinzona and the hospital Riviera-Chablais (Aigle)
2018
New cooperation
Mars 2018
Start of the surgery assistance programme at the Children’s Hospital in Lucerne and at the Jules Gonin Eye Hospital in Lausanne
1.5 million visits
Septembre 2018
25 year anniversary of the Theodora Foundation: Theodora Giggle Doctors have made over 1.5 million visits to children
2019
25 years of cooperation
Décembre 2019
The Theodora Foundation celebrates 25 years of cooperation with the hospitals in Lausanne (CHUV and HEL), Sion, Mendrisio and Lugano
2020
The Theodora Foundation is reinventing
Avril 2020
In the face of the Covid 19 pandemic, the Theodora Foundation is reinventing itself with three offers for children as part of a “special mission of laughter”: outdoor visits, live virtual visits and videos sent to hospitals and specialist care centres
New class of Giggle Doctors
Décembre 2020
19 newly graduated Giggle Doctors. Currently, 75 artists of the Theodora Foundation are bringing laughter to children in hospitals and specialist care centres throughout Switzerland.
2021
The Week of Happiness
Mars 2021
The 7th edition of the Week of Happiness was a great success with more than 2,500 selfies collected and visits to children in hospitals and specialist care centres made possible.
Swiss Cancer League Recognition Award
November
With the Recognition Award, the Swiss Cancer League honours individuals and organizations whose projects are committed to improving the situation of people affected by cancer.”
2022
Campaign «Rosie and the rainbow»
November 2022
Giggle Doctors invited children in hospital to a creative workshop called «Behind The Curtain». During the workshop, the children transformed their hospital room into the setting for a magical adventure.
2023
New program «Dreaming in the ER»
January 2023
The emergency room can be a place marked by tension. The Foundation’s artists offer moments of distraction and joy with their visits.
Short exhibition at the CHUV
April 2023
On 20 April 1993, the paediatrics department of the CHUV opened its doors to the artists of the Theodora Foundation. For the very first time in Switzerland and in Europe, a hospital welcomed the visit of Giggle Doctors to children in hospital. This 30th anniversary was celebrated with a short exhibition at the CHUV.
2 million visits
November 2023
The Theodora Foundation records its 2 millionth child visit since its foundation in 1993.
2024
59 institutions and 68 Giggle Doctors
The Theodora Foundation is present in 32 hospitals and 27 specialist care centres with 68 Giggle Doctors.
CAS 2024
The new artists are now holders of a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in “The Art of the Giggle Doctor”, awarded by the Accademia Dimitri. This internationally recognized diploma certifies their ability to work professionally in healthcare settings.
2025
New class of Giggle Doctors
9 new Giggle Doctors join the Foundation. There are now 77 artists bringing much more than laughter.