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Shriners Hospitals for Children

Every patient at Shriners Hospitals is sponsored by a Shriner, who acts as a liaison between the family and the hospital. Since 1922, when the first Shriners Hospital was built, more than $5 billion has been spent building and operating Shriners Hospitals for Children. Now there are 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children which include 18 orthopaedic, 3 burn, and the hospital in Sacramento treats orthopaedic, burn, and spinal cord injuries. In 2000 alone, the operating budget for the hospitals was approximately $450 million, including $24 million allocated for research, and the construction budget was about $90 million, for a total of $540 million.

Where does the money come from? Shriners Hospitals are supported primarily by income from the Shriners Hospitals for Children endowment fund, which is maintained through donations and bequests from both Shriners and non-Shriners. Additional income represents each Shriner’s annual hospital assessment and fund-raising events sponsored by Shrine Temples, Clubs, and Units.

Recognizing that the family plays a vital role in a child’s ability to overcome an illness or injury, Shriners Hospitals developed the family-centered care concept, to help the family provide the support and involvement the child requires. This concept stresses that while medicine might heal the child’s body, tending to the child’s sense of well being is equally important to his recovery. Specially trained personnel help the family accept the child’s illness or injury, deal with the feelings of guilt and frustration that often arise in such situations, and counsel the family concerning the special needs of the child and other family members.