Inside Shriners Hospitals for Children each day, patients and families say thank you to the Shriners – those men in the red fezzes. Our model for care was imagined and established by the Shriners, the fraternal organization for which the hospital is named. Determined to give all children access to specialized pediatric care, the Shriners opened their first hospital in 1922. Polio was reaching epidemic proportions and only families of means had ready access to doctors, leaving thousands of children at risk without health care. Shriners Hospitals for Children opened as a place where children suffering from the crippling effects of polio, clubfoot and other orthopaedic conditions could receive life-changing medical care. Recognized as one of the world’s greatest philanthropies, Shriners Hospitals for Children has evolved into an international hospital system recognized for its devotion to transforming the lives of children through expert care and research. It is a destination of choice for parents whose children have orthopaedic problems, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate, and other complex surgical needs. Care is funded by the Shriners Hospitals for Children Endowment, which is sustained by contributions from all walks of life.

Shriners Hospitals for Children has a mission to:

• Provide the highest quality care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries and other special healthcare needs within a compassionate, family-centered and collaborative care environment.
• Provide for the education of physicians and other healthcare professionals.
• Conduct research to discover new knowledge that improves the quality of care and quality of life of children and families.

This mission is carried out without regard to race, color, creed, sex or sect, disability, national origin, or ability of a patient or family to pay.