Doctor Smile visits Costa del Sol Hospital to help children

Marbella, 8th October 2026. The Costa del Sol University Hospital (HUCS) has welcomed Doctor Smile, an initiative of the Theodora Foundation, which will start making regular visits to hospitalised children in its Paediatrics ward and Paediatric Emergency department.

Collaboration with Lions Club Marbella Francophone

This new programme is made possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Lions Club Marbella Francophone, which allows professional artists to be present in the hospital environment. During an initial institutional visit, hospital executives, club representatives, Theodora Foundation officials, and the Paediatrics team met.

Doctor Bugui Bugui, whose art focuses on magic and humour, aims to make the hospital stay more bearable for children. Juan Antonio Ruiz, head of the Paediatrics and Neonatology service, expressed his satisfaction: “We are especially excited to have Doctor Smile with us. Seeing how a smile or a moment of magic changes a child's expression reminds us that caring also means accompanying and making their stay and that of their family more bearable.”

Commitment to the humanisation of healthcare

Alejandro Echegaray, director of the Theodora Foundation, highlighted the importance of these visits: “For us, it is an immense joy to be able to bring relief and escapism to the little ones who go through the Costa del Sol University Hospital, a reference centre that, thanks to the support of the Lions Club Marbella Francophone, benefits from the regular visits of Doctor Bugui Bugui.”

The visits from Doctor Smile are carried out by professional artists who are specially trained and compensated by the Theodora Foundation, which has 25 years of experience in hospitals across Spain. This partnership reinforces the hospital's commitment to the humanisation of healthcare, prioritising the emotional well-being of paediatric patients and their families.