Hailey Tran
Shriners Hospitals for Children, also known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, a Freemasonry-related organisation. Shriners Children's provides care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, regardless of their ability to pay. The first Shriners Children's hospital opened in 1922, and since then, the organisation has expanded to include hospitals, outpatient clinics, and ambulatory care centres worldwide. Shriners Children's selects patient ambassadors to represent their patients and share their stories, such as 17-year-old Alec Cabacungan, who has been a spokesperson for the hospitals and has helped spread their mission.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the representative | Alec Cabacungan |
| Age | 17 years old |
| Place | Chicago |
| Disease | Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease |
| Number of broken bones | Over 60 |
| Hobbies | Playing sports, playing video games, driving |
| YouTube channel | Smart Alec on Sports |
| Spokesperson for Shriners | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
Shriners Hospitals for Children history
Shriners Hospitals for Children, commonly known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and other paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a Freemasonry-related organisation whose members are known as Shriners. The first hospital in the system opened on 16 September 1922, providing orthopaedic care. The first patient, a little girl with clubfoot, was seen in a remodelled home adjacent to the Masonic temple while construction of the permanent hospital was underway.
The Shriners Children's health system has a long and illustrious history of providing hope and healing to children for more than 100 years. It is driven by a commitment to helping those in need and has evolved to become a world-renowned healthcare system with hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care centres, and outreach locations. The Shriners established their first children's hospital in the early 1910s during a polio epidemic that swept across the United States, leaving many children without adequate care. This initial endeavour eventually expanded into a comprehensive healthcare network.
The Shriners Hospitals for Children has consistently demonstrated its dedication to innovation and transformation in the medical field. In 1962, the organisation allocated $10 million to establish three hospitals specialising in the treatment and rehabilitation of burned children. Additionally, the Shriners Children's health system has embraced the growing emphasis on outpatient care, with approximately a third of their facilities operating as various models of outpatient centres. This shift reflects the expectations of both healthcare providers and parents in today's fast-paced world.
The Shriners Children's health system offers a wide range of paediatric specialty care services, including orthopaedic issues, burn injuries, craniofacial conditions, spine care, spinal cord injuries, and sports medicine. They also conduct world-class research to gain knowledge and develop new treatments, and provide educational opportunities for healthcare professionals. Their research endeavours cover a broad spectrum, including motion analysis and genomics, with 90 projects managed by their corporate research department in 2022. Shriners Children's commitment to research extends beyond their own initiatives, as evidenced by their membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network since 2015, which fosters collaboration among healthcare organisations to better serve patients and their families.
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![Shriners International Round Masonic Auto Emblem - [Antique Brass][3'' Diameter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71I7HLRZ22L._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Shriners Children's patient ambassadors
Shriners Children's, commonly known as Shriners Hospitals for Children, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, an organisation formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a Freemasonry-related group whose members are known as Shriners.
Every year, Shriners Children's selects a pair of International Patient Ambassadors to represent the healthcare system's patients. The ambassadors are chosen to share their inspiring stories of perseverance and the ways in which Shriners Children's has made a dramatic, life-changing difference in their lives.
The 2023-24 International Patient Ambassadors were Juan Diego and Gianna. Juan Diego, 18, was burned in an electrical accident when he was 13, leaving his hands seriously disfigured. He spent over a month in a hospital in his home country of Honduras, where he was dependent on others for basic tasks. The Ruth Paz Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Honduras, connected him with Shriners Children's Boston, where he received reconstructive and laser surgeries to restore sensation and mobility to his hands. Now a college student in Honduras, Juan Diego is honoured to represent Shriners Children's as an International Patient Ambassador. Gianna, 15, was born with a rare condition called proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), which caused her to be missing part of her left femur. Her parents were grateful to learn that the orthopedic team at Shriners Children’s Southern California had the expertise to treat PFFD. "Shriners Children’s was there for me when I needed them," said Gianna. "I want to inspire and encourage kids just like me, and let them know that the limits are endless."
The 2024-25 International Patient Ambassadors are Paige and Grayson. Paige, 19, was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a painful and rare condition, when she was 8. Grayson, 20, was born in Kiev, Ukraine, without a femur, making his right leg significantly shorter than his left.
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Shriners Children's spokesperson, Alec Cabacungan
Shriners Children's Hospitals, a network of non-profit children's hospitals and other paediatric medical facilities across North America, has been represented by its national patient spokesperson, Alec Cabacungan, for the last 6-10 years. Cabacungan, who is now a college freshman, has been the face of Shriners Children's Hospitals for most of his life, having been born with brittle bone disease—osteogenesis imperfecta, or OI. This is a genetic bone disorder caused by a lack of or abnormal collagen in the bones, resulting in frequent and easy breaks. In his 18 years of life, Cabacungan has broken over 60 bones and undergone countless operations. Despite these challenges, he has a fighting spirit and dreams of becoming a sports broadcaster.
Cabacungan has appeared in countless ads, praising the doctors, nurses, surgeons, and physical therapists at Shriners Children's Hospitals. He has also been featured in commercials asking people to donate generously to the hospital network and has offered teddy bear blankets as a token of appreciation. In addition to his role as a spokesperson, Cabacungan is an athlete himself, playing wheelchair basketball and appearing on sports shows such as NBA on TNT.
Cabacungan's journey with Shriners Children's Hospitals began when he was just two months old. He has been a lifelong patient of the osteogenesis imperfecta program in Chicago, undergoing numerous surgeries and physical therapy. Shriners Children's Hospitals have been devoted to providing high-quality specialty medical care to children and families since opening their first hospital in 1922, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Shriners Children's Hospitals provide care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. The hospitals advertise with the tagline, "Love to the Rescue," and have ranked highly in popularity and credibility among charitable and non-profit organizations in America. Shriners Children's Hospitals have locations across the United States, including Ohio, Philadelphia, Portland, Salt Lake City, Shreveport, Southern California, Spokane, and St. Louis.
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Shriners Children's locations
Shriners Children's hospitals are a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, an organisation formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a Freemasonry-related group.
The first hospital in the Shriners network opened on 16 September 1922, providing orthopaedic care. Shriners Children's hospitals work closely with the US military, including the Army and Air Force, as well as the Guatemalan military, to arrange medical visas and transportation to the US for young patients. In 1962, the Shriners of North America allocated $10 million to establish three hospitals specialising in the treatment and rehabilitation of burned children.
Today, Shriners Children's hospitals provide care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Care is typically provided until the patient's 18th birthday, although this can be extended to age 21 in some cases. The hospitals' advertising campaign features the tagline, "Love to the Rescue."
- California (including Los Angeles and Pasadena)
- Texas (including Galveston, Houston, and San Antonio)
- Florida (headquarters in Tampa)
- Massachusetts (including Boston and Springfield)
- Pennsylvania (including Erie and Philadelphia)
- Oregon (Portland)
- Missouri
- Kentucky (including Lexington)
- Ohio (including Cincinnati and Dayton)
- Minnesota
- Illinois (including Chicago)
- Washington (including Spokane)
- Hawaii (including Honolulu)
- South Carolina (including Greenville)
- Louisiana (Shreveport)
- Utah (Salt Lake City)
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Shriners Children's treatments
Shriners Children's, also known as Shriners Hospitals for Children, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and paediatric medical facilities across North America. The hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, a Freemasonry-related organisation. The first Shriners Children's hospital opened in 1922 in response to a polio epidemic in the United States, which left many children without access to appropriate care. Today, Shriners Children's provides a range of treatments and services for a variety of conditions.
Orthopaedic Conditions
Shriners Children's hospitals offer a wide range of paediatric orthopaedic treatments, including for scoliosis, limb discrepancies, clubfoot, hip dysplasia, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They also provide treatments for musculoskeletal conditions affecting joints, bones, and muscles, such as congenital malformations, injuries, and sports injuries. Shriners Children's is known for providing the highest level of specialised paediatric orthopaedic care, with a team of world-renowned board-certified paediatric orthopaedic surgeons.
Burns
The Shriners Hospitals for Children network includes several burn hospitals that provide treatment and rehabilitation for children with burn injuries. The first paediatric burn hospital was established on the campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, in 1962. Today, Shriners Children's hospitals in Boston, Galveston, Cincinnati, and Sacramento offer care for children with burns, as well as treating skin conditions such as epidermolysis bullosa and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Three Shriners Children's hospitals provide developmentally appropriate spinal cord injury rehabilitation for children and adolescents. These hospitals offer a range of programs, including adventure and adapted sports, activity-based rehabilitation, aquatherapy, and animal-assisted therapy. The hospital in Sacramento is unique in that it focuses on spinal cord injuries, along with burns and orthopaedics, and houses its own orthotics and prosthetics lab and development facilities.
Craniofacial Conditions
Several Shriners Children's hospitals, including Boston, Chicago, Shreveport, Galveston, Springfield, and Portland, provide treatment for children with craniofacial conditions, such as cleft lip and palate, and pediatric plastic surgery.
Other Specialties
In addition to the above, Shriners Children's hospitals offer a range of other specialty services, including colorectal and gastrointestinal care, sports medicine, and cerebral palsy treatment. They also provide treatment for neurological conditions that affect ambulation and movement, such as spina bifida (myelomeningocele). Shriners Children's is committed to conducting research to improve medical treatments and quality of life for children, with a focus on innovation and transformational change.
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Frequently asked questions
Alec Cabacungan is 17 years old. He has been a spokesperson for Shriners Hospitals for five years.
The Shriners Hospitals for Children opened their first hospital in 1922 and are therefore over a century old.
Carlota's mother, Carla, mentions that she waited seven and a half years until her first child was old enough to be independent before having Carlota. Carlota is therefore likely to be under 7 years old.
Brandon was a healthy, active six-year-old boy when he was first treated at Shriners Children's Greenville. He is likely to be over 6 years old now.
