Page 98 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2026

A Clown
With a Calling
For Lucy the Clown,
Every Smile Is Serious Business
story by Cherie Ward
photos courtesy by Kathy Lamm
Long before she became one of the
most recognizable volunteers at Memorial
Health System, Kathy Lamm was simply
a woman who took one piece of advice to
heart.
“Pray about it,” she said.
Years ago, a friend invited Lamm to join
a church bus ministry as a clown. Unsure,
she prayed. Then she slipped into a simple
one-piece clown costume, painted on
traditional white makeup, and followed
her heart. During her very first outing, a
little girl who barely spoke was asked what
the silent clown should be called.
“Lucy,” she answered. The name never
left.
Today, Lucy the Clown has become
a familiar face throughout Memorial,
where twice each week she wanders
hallways carrying colorful trinkets, flowers,
stress balls, snacks, and, perhaps most
importantly, encouragement.
It’s hard to miss Lucy—pink curls
peeking beneath a heart-covered bonnet,
a smile as bright as her colorful costume,
and a red wagon overflowing with
sparkling treasures—and while children
love seeing her, some of her biggest fans
wear scrubs.
“Nurses have had it hard these last few
years,” she said. “From the cook to the
housekeeper to the doctors, every job in
98 | September 2026 that hospital is important. I want them to
know this clown thinks they’re important.”
That simple message has built years of
trust. Nurses often wave her into patient
rooms, knowing she can offer a hug, a
laugh, or simply a quiet moment when
words are hard to find.
Not every visit is filled with jokes. Lamm
regularly spends time with cancer patients
receiving chemotherapy, visits hospice
patients, and sits with patients who have
no family by their bedside during their
final hours.
“I don’t go as Lucy,” she said. “I just go
to be there.”
She admits those moments can be
heartbreaking, but they also reaffirm
why she continues. “I never go to get,”
she said. “I go to give. But I always leave
feeling blessed.”
Her compassion extends far beyond
patients. On one recent visit, a nurse she
hadn’t seen in more than a year burst
into tears upon seeing Lucy again. Lamm
stayed, listened, prayed with her, and
reminded her that someone noticed the
work she did every day.
And while hospitals heal, they also rely
on countless people who quietly carry the
emotional weight of caring for others.
Sometimes it takes a clown to remind
them that they matter, too.
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