For 24 years, volunteer Sue Van Duynhoven and her cast of puppet characters have provided emotional support and laughter to pediatric patients at London Children's Hospital in Ontario, filling gaps in care with creativity and compassion.
The London Health Sciences Centre's children's hospital hosts a dedicated volunteer named Sue Van Duynhoven, a ventriloquist who has been using her puppets to bring joy and comfort to young patients for over two decades.
Her characters include Dr. Petunia Ashley Ottersby, a 'bellybuttonologist' puppet; Grandpa; Kudo the penguin; Scrappy the puppy; Ralphie the skateboarder; and Vladimir the vampire. During a visit, she engaged three sisters-Aubree, a teen receiving chemotherapy for leukemia, and her younger siblings Isla and Coral-who were initially shy but soon interacted with the puppets, sharing stories and laughter. Aubree spoke about her pet snake, hobbies, and eventually opened up.
Van Duynhoven explains her mission is to remind children of their identity amidst the disruption of hospital life. Unlike paid therapists and clowns, she volunteers freely, despite personal health battles and pandemic pauses. Child-life specialists emphasize that the puppets provide a non-judgmental outlet for expression, especially for long-term patients. One poignant memory involves a girl who took a horse puppet, Horace, home for sleepovers and was buried with him after passing.
Van Duynhoven's own difficult childhood-marked by parental mental illness-led her to find solace in imaginedanimate objects, granting her empathy for struggling children. Today, her vibrant personality and fast-talking banter mask a past that fuels her compassionate work
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