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Patch Adams
SPEAKING FEE RANGE ** Please note that while this speaker’s specific speaking fee falls within the range posted above (for Continental U.S. based events), fees are subject to change. For current fee information or international event fees (which are generally 50-75% more than U.S based event fees), please contact us.
$25,000 to $30,000
Profile
Programs 
Testimonials
Books
VideosPatch has a vision of a healthcare system in which patients get all the time they need from their doctors and the two interact on a basis of mutual trust. He believes that conventional and alternative therapies should be blended into one holistic healing process, delivered with joy. This philosophy is delivered with resounding success at the Gesundheit Institute in West Virginia, and Patch aims to see it rolled out across the USA and around the world.
The success of the Gesundheit Institute has led to plans for a model healthcare facility to be built on a 310 acre site in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. In recent years Patch has temporarily stopped practicing medicine in order to raise funds for this revolutionary project, which will include a 40 bed hospital, theater, arts and crafts shops, horticultural projects and vocational therapy. Five million dollars are needed to fulfill this dream; by inviting Patch to speak you are not only guaranteed a hilarious and thought-provoking evening but you are also investing in one of the most exciting healthcare projects in the world.
Full Profile
Patch Adams, M.D., is an internationally known speaker on wellness, humor, and joy. He approaches the issues of personal, community, and global health with “zestful exuberance,” according to Time Magazine. Dr. Adams believes that “the most revolutionary act one can commit in our world is to be happy.”
“Extraordinary! A man I can look up to and respect,” “Incredibly mind blowing and memorable,” and “Inspiring, amazing human being- invaluable to hear first- hand,” are all testimonies of people who have had the chance to hear Dr. Patch Adams, the real man behind the hit Hollywood film Patch Adams.
Patch is a medical doctor, a clown, and a social activist who has devoted 30 years to changing America’s healthcare system. He believes that laughter, joy and creativity are integral parts of the healing process. Doctors and patients in his model relate to each other on the basis of mutual trust, and patients receive plenty of time from their doctors. Allopathic doctors and practitioners of alternative medicine work side by side in Patch’s model. If you think that all sounds like a utopian impossibility, it isn’t! Patch and his colleagues have practiced medicine at the Gesundheit Institute together in West Virginia that way for 43 years in what Patch refers to as their “pilot project.
Through the success of this program at the West Virginia location, a model health care facility is being planned on 310 acres purchased in Pocahontas County, WV. The Institute will include a 40-bed hospital, a theater, arts and crafts shops, horticulture and vocational therapy. Over five years ago, Dr. Adams temporarily stopped seeing patients so that he could coordinate plans for raising the $5 million needed for the Institute’s permanent and expanded home, a “model health care community.” When you bring Patch to speak, you’re supporting this dream!
Patch Adams Speaker Videos 
Gesundheit Institute: Patch Adams at TEDx Utrecht University
Patch Adams, physician, philosopher and clown extraordinaire lays out his unique philosophy of humor in healing. He explains how at a young age he wanted to take his own life in despair at the cruelty of the world but then had an epiphany, realizing that it was possible to create a revolution. “I decided to make a revolution and commit my life to loving," he explains.
Patch explains what is wrong with modern health care and how it can be changed through the application of love, joy and humor. Noting the alienation and depression so rife in society, he puts forward a revolutionary thesis: “I claim that depression is never an illness, it's a pharmaceutical company diagnosis; depression is a symptom of loneliness, but nobody would ever be able to sell a pill for loneliness. You cannot be depressed and have a friend floating in your head at the same time, that's how you know you have a friend."
Patch Adams Speech
Keynote Speech
Patch Adams on Wellness and Humour
Patch Adams: Living a Life of Joy
Speeches / Speaking Engagements
“The most revolutionary act one can commit in our world is to be happy." Patch Adams brings this philosophy to everything he does, and particularly his speaking appearances. His performances are part lecture, part workshop and part pure clowning.
Patch's aim is to demonstrate that it is possible to make a positive choice to bring joy into your life. He talks of the thrill of choosing to live with joy and to help others; he explains to those caregivers who may be feeling burnt out or disillusioned that there is a magic and power in care-giving that they can access.
In other talks Patch looks at the relationship between humor and health, strategies you can employ to love yourself, the planet and your fellow humans and the concept of using humor as a positive healing force in medicine. Whatever the topic on which you invite Patch to speak, you can be guaranteed profound insights, exciting and inspiring new ideas and, naturally, a stunning, laughter-filled performance.
Living A Life of Joy
(1-4 hours)
Lecture or thee-four hour workshop using an hour of exercises, an hour of ideas on being happy and the remainder to explore the audacious idea of living happy. Patch discusses how to discover the incredible thrill of choosing to live everyday with joy. The focus of this lecture/workshop is life as a choice.
The Joy of Caring
(1-3 hours)
Lecture on the thrill of helping others. An inspirational talk with much dialogue to explore burnout prevention for caregivers. The focus of this lecture/workshop is the magic and power of care, not only in the patient’s life but also in the caregiver’s life.
Humor and Health
(1-3 hours)
Look at the relationship between humor and the health of the individual, community or society. Funny and inspirational. Patch discusses his 30+ years of clowning experience. When Patch and Susan are hired as a team, they teach the audience performance and perform a sweet stage clown show (15 minutes at the end).
What Is Your Love Strategy?
(1-3 hours)
Lecture on the importance of having a strategy for loving yourself, the planet and others. Patch provides insights into the need for such a strategy and also takes a close look at the conception of love and the theory of strategy. Patch offers his approach and helps the audience design, explore and implement their own love strategy.
Living In Community
(1 hour)
Lecture that introduces a healthy community life. Patch explores what constitutes a healthy community, how one is created, maintained and what the responsibilities are of it’s members.
Medicine For Fun, Not Funds
(1-3 hours)
Lecture on the history, philosophy, and future of the Gesundheit Institute. It includes a deep dialogue with audience/participants. Patch introduces Gesundheit as an example of medicine for fun, not funds and helps the audience design, explore and implement their own dreams.
Patch Adams Speaker Testimonials
"It was great to have Patch with us at the conference. Everyone loved him and his views on life.”
—RIZAL ABDULLAH, ICLIFF LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE CENTER, MALAYSIA, DECEMBER 2013—
"It was awesome! Maravilloso! Hermoso!”
—AZADAH SHEYKHOLYA, DANZATERAPIA, MEXICO CITY, NOVEMBER 2013—
"All went well with Patch! It was a pleasure for me to work with you and to meet Patch. I´m thinking of having Patch again next year!”
—JUAN PABLO BETANCUR, TIMEOUT, COLOMBIA, OCTOBER 2013—
"I’m so grateful that Patch was able to attend and speak at the conference. It was a wonderful night and I’m so happy that this first integrative health conference was such a success. I’m so thankful that Patch was the keynote kickoff to my first conference.”
—LAURIE ANGELL, MEDICINE BEYOND MEDICATION CONFERENCE, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 2013—
"We were delighted with our time with Patch, and the delegates he presented to were rapt with attention and inspired. It was a very successful event from all aspects, and we greatly appreciate having Patch with us.”
—LIZ, AUSTRALIAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE SOCIETY, AUSTRALIA, APRIL 2013—
"Patch Adams extended himself in his free talk when he realized that all the people there were really with him and felt uplifted by his presentation. He was funny and emotive and charismatic. I got a lot of really good feed back from the attendees and staff about him."
—JULIE KLINE, HEALTH FREEDOM EXPO, LONG BEACH, MARCH 2013—
* Please note that while this speaker’s specific speaking fee falls within the range posted above (for Continental U.S. based events), fees are subject to change. For current fee information or international event fees (which are generally 50-75% more than U.S based event fees), please contact us.
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"It was great to have Patch with us at the conference. Everyone loved him and his views on life.”
—RIZAL ABDULLAH, ICLIFF LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE CENTER, MALAYSIA, DECEMBER 2013—
"It was awesome! Maravilloso! Hermoso!”
—AZADAH SHEYKHOLYA, DANZATERAPIA, MEXICO CITY, NOVEMBER 2013—
"All went well with Patch! It was a pleasure for me to work with you and to meet Patch. I´m thinking of having Patch again next year!”
—JUAN PABLO BETANCUR, TIMEOUT, COLOMBIA, OCTOBER 2013—
"I’m so grateful that Patch was able to attend and speak at the conference. It was a wonderful night and I’m so happy that this first integrative health conference was such a success. I’m so thankful that Patch was the keynote kickoff to my first conference.”
—LAURIE ANGELL, MEDICINE BEYOND MEDICATION CONFERENCE, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 2013—
"We were delighted with our time with Patch, and the delegates he presented to were rapt with attention and inspired. It was a very successful event from all aspects, and we greatly appreciate having Patch with us.”
—LIZ, AUSTRALIAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE SOCIETY, AUSTRALIA, APRIL 2013—
"Patch Adams extended himself in his free talk when he realized that all the people there were really with him and felt uplifted by his presentation. He was funny and emotive and charismatic. I got a lot of really good feed back from the attendees and staff about him."
—JULIE KLINE, HEALTH FREEDOM EXPO, LONG BEACH, MARCH 2013—
Gesundheit!: Bringing Good Health to You, the Medical System, and Society through Physician Service, Complementary Therapies, Humor, and Joy
The inspiring and hilarious story of Patch Adams's quest to bring free health care to the world and to transform the way doctors practice medicine. Gesundheit! tells the story of Patch Adams' lifetime quest to transform the health care system. It was popularly released as a film from Universal Pictures, starring Robin Williams.
House Calls: How We Can All Heal the World One Visit at a Time
Dr. Patch Adams knows the inner side of healing. House Calls is a reminder that some of the most important factors in healing are not high-tech marvels but ordinary factors such as love, compassion, friendship, and hope. This book will lighten anyone′s heart and assist him or her on a healing journey.
Living A Life of Joy
(1-4 hours)
Lecture or thee-four hour workshop using an hour of exercises, an hour of ideas on being happy and the remainder to explore the audacious idea of living happy. Patch discusses how to discover the incredible thrill of choosing to live everyday with joy. The focus of this lecture/workshop is life as a choice.
The Joy of Caring
(1-3 hours)
Lecture on the thrill of helping others. An inspirational talk with much dialogue to explore burnout prevention for caregivers. The focus of this lecture/workshop is the magic and power of care, not only in the patient’s life but also in the caregiver’s life.
Humor and Health
(1-3 hours)
Look at the relationship between humor and the health of the individual, community or society. Funny and inspirational. Patch discusses his 30+ years of clowning experience. When Patch and Susan are hired as a team, they teach the audience performance and perform a sweet stage clown show (15 minutes at the end).
What Is Your Love Strategy?
(1-3 hours)
Lecture on the importance of having a strategy for loving yourself, the planet and others. Patch provides insights into the need for such a strategy and also takes a close look at the conception of love and the theory of strategy. Patch offers his approach and helps the audience design, explore and implement their own love strategy.
Living In Community
(1 hour)
Lecture that introduces a healthy community life. Patch explores what constitutes a healthy community, how one is created, maintained and what the responsibilities are of it’s members.
Medicine For Fun, Not Funds
(1-3 hours)
Lecture on the history, philosophy, and future of the Gesundheit Institute. It includes a deep dialogue with audience/participants. Patch introduces Gesundheit as an example of medicine for fun, not funds and helps the audience design, explore and implement their own dreams.
Gesundheit Institute: Patch Adams at TEDx Utrecht University
Patch Adams, physician, philosopher and clown extraordinaire lays out his unique philosophy of humor in healing. He explains how at a young age he wanted to take his own life in despair at the cruelty of the world but then had an epiphany, realizing that it was possible to create a revolution. “I decided to make a revolution and commit my life to loving," he explains.
Patch explains what is wrong with modern health care and how it can be changed through the application of love, joy and humor. Noting the alienation and depression so rife in society, he puts forward a revolutionary thesis: “I claim that depression is never an illness, it's a pharmaceutical company diagnosis; depression is a symptom of loneliness, but nobody would ever be able to sell a pill for loneliness. You cannot be depressed and have a friend floating in your head at the same time, that's how you know you have a friend."
