The Board of Trustees of Shriners Hospitals for Children recently announced that it has approved the construction of a new hospital to replace the current facility at 2001 South Lindbergh in St. Louis.
The current facility which has been a haven for Midwest families facing the devastating circumstances surrounding a child afflicted with orthopedic problems is more than 40 years old. It has been well maintained, but lacks certain elements which impede the care of patients and does not meet current standards for today's needs. The new hospital will be a state-of-the-art facility.
"We hope to have the hospital completed by 2009," said John Smith, Illustrious Potentate of St. Louis. "The $85 million, 52-bed hospital will be built on the existing grounds which is in a great location and will work out very well."
Smith was in Hannibal Wednesday, visiting with NEMO Shrine Club members and the media to spread the word about the Shriners and their philanthropy. "The visit is to promote the Shriners Hospital and let everyone know about all the good things the Shriners do," he said.
"A no-cost evaluation clinic for children under 18 years old to find out if they are eligible for free, expert medical treatment is one of those good things," said Smith. "We recently screened 32 children in the Hannibal area and have accepted 19 into the Shriners Hospital. This was the sixth year for the screening which has resulted in 120 children being admitted to the hospital.
"Another screening is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 16, at Veterans Hospital in Columbia. This gives a family the chance to bring their children in who may have spinal cord or other orthopedic problems and determine if they can be treated at no charge."
The St. Louis hospital treats children with many types of problems and defects, such as scoliosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hand and back problems, missing limbs, cerebral palsy, neuromuscular disorders, club foot, rickets and congenital hip problems. Any child under 18, who has problems of the bones, joints or muscles is encouraged to visit the free clinic. Speech and language screenings are also offered through the Rite Care program, according to Smith.
Since its founding in 1872, the Shrinedom has always been involved in charitable activities, and in 1919, vowed to establish a Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children. The first facility opened in Shreveport, La., in 1922, and by the end of that decade, 13 more were in operation. In the 1960s, burn hospitals were opened and in the 1980s, three Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation centers opened. Presently there are 22 Shrine hospitals in North America, three dedicated to burn treatments and 19 to orthopedic problems.
Opening in 1924, the St. Louis facility serves families in a nine-state area, and is not limited to those states, as it treats children from all over the globe.
"There is never a charge to anyone for any service or medical treatment," said Smith. "We're very proud to have this facility in St. Louis which has the finest in research and medical excellence. Room and board for the families and transportation is also provided free of charge. Recently one of our van drivers from Wichita, Kan., reached a 2,000,000-mile mark. We roughly spend 1.7 million dollars a day treating children at no charge."
