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John and Joan McLenahan   Big red noses, colorful clothes and magic tricks. Are we talking about circus clowns? Add a hospital room and guess again. Patch Adams? You're getting closer. John McLenahan, BFA '66, and his wife, Joan, have set out to prove that laughter is, indeed, the best medicine. Working under the monikers Dr. and Mrs. Magic, the pair caters to hospitalized children using such supplies as tricks, toys and smiles. Originally from Newark, Ohio, John and Joan were married four years ago and now live in Las Vegas. The Dr. Magic act evolved after Joan was volunteering at a local hospital and heard about plans for a magic show. John, who had presented magic acts in high school and college, seemed like the perfect fit, she thought. When they realized many children were too sick to get out of bed for the performances they offered, they volunteered to make rounds. "We just love kids," says John. "To get a smile or a laugh out of kids who are sick is all the payment we need." Joan says her husband has "a deep compassion and a wonderful way of connecting" with the children they entertain. He also understands some of the challenges they face, having lost a leg in an automobile accident in 1978. In addition to hospitals, Dr. and Mrs. Magic perform at day-care centers, nursing homes and the local YMCA to raise money for Candlelighters for Childhood Cancer of Southern Nevada. The couple say seeing children suffer, and sometimes die, can be difficult. But their work continues because other kids depend on them. "I won't leave the room until I get a smile," John says. Sarah Welch Back to Bobcat Tracks