The Dr. Fairytale Program 

Founded 20 years ago by the Galli Theater, the Dr. Fairytale Program brings the educational and healing value of fairytales and storytelling to seriously ill children and their families, in hospitals, crisis areas and shelters. When families need support, Dr. Fairytale is there with award-winning programs, available at no cost to those in need – in New York, across the nation and internationally.

In Need

About one in 300 boys and one in 333 girls will develop cancer before their 20th birthday. When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, they are coping with emotional distress and anxiety. Their needs go far beyond what even the best medical care can provide.

They need an outlet to cope with their emotions, they need friends who give them hope, they need good stories, which help them heal their souls: fairytales.

 Why Fairytales?

Fairytales deliver messages of growth and transformation. They are healing stories that teach children how to overcome challenges and help them cope with feelings of fear, anxiety, and depression. Fairytales restore joy, hope and  laughter to the lives of children and families at a time often laden with stress and uncertainty. 

What We Do!

When seriously ill kids and their families need more than medicine, Dr. Fairytale is there with compassion and innovation, creating moments of creativity, joy and hope. Managed by a professional staff and powered by volunteers, Dr. Fairytale brings the wealth of fairytales and their transformational power in a time of crisis. 

What Is New?

The Galli Theater has now expanded our Dr. Fairytale program to include The Ronald McDonald House, Bellevue Hospital, Brookdale University Hospital,  Elisabeth Seton Pediatric Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.