From Patient to Social Worker: Shannon's Story of Paying It Forward

Shannon is a student at the University of Pennsylvania studying to earn her master’s in social work, a degree inspired by her time as a patient at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia.

When Shannon was in utero, she had a stroke, causing hemiplegic cerebral palsy on her right side. However, she wasn’t diagnosed until she was 2 years old, and when she was 8, her family found Shriners Children’s Philadelphia.

A hospital can be a daunting place for a young child, but Shannon insists that Shriners Children’s Philadelphia was far from that. She remembers her time there as being brightly colored, filled with toys to play with and opportunities to spend time with other patients. She recounts how kind everyone was to her and her family, stating, “Everyone was so nice; everyone was so welcoming: the check-in staff, security staff, doctors, nurses. I enjoyed my time being there.”

She additionally explained how Shriners Children’s ability to support her family in other ways was a major relief for them. Shannon said, “One of the biggest things that helped our family is that it was mission-based. We lived 2 1/2 hours away and they also provided transportation, through the members of Shriners International.” That is the essence of the Shriners Children’s purpose, that every child should have the ability to receive life-changing care regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. Shriners Children’s Philadelphia staff goes the extra mile to care for patients and families. Shannon recounts a memory of when a snowstorm hit just when it was time for her to go home post-surgery. The staff let her and her family stay an extra night, because of the dangerous driving conditions. We always put patients and families first.

Shannon had two surgeries during her time at the hospital, one when she was in third grade and the other in fourth grade. Her first surgery was on her wrist, to help with rotation and proper movement. Before her care at Shriners Children’s and before this surgery, she had no grip in her hand and no muscle strength in her wrist. She could barely hold anything. The surgery was successful and allowed her to gain more use of her hand.

Her second surgery addressed the back of her right leg after it stopped growing, causing her to walk on her toes and with a limp. After surgery, Shannon received leg braces from Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services (POPS), and she attended regular physical and occupational therapy sessions.

Now that Shannon is pursuing a path toward social work, she has an enhanced appreciation of her time at Shriners Children’s and a renewed perspective on the importance of autonomy for children in the hospital. She said, “When it comes to medical care, it’s very important for kids to have a say, so even just getting to pick a color on a brace makes such a big difference.” She recalled how many pattern options POPS had available for patients to customize their devices.

When asked how her experiences in the hospital as a young child shaped her chosen education and career paths, she said, “Shriners is one of those places I never stop thinking about, it definitely played a role.” She expressed a passion for helping and caring for others in any way she can. She said the biggest and best place that helped and cared for others growing up was Shriners Children’s Philadelphia. She wants to “repay” the favor of the care she received at Shriners Children's by providing that level of care to others.

Shriners Children’s Philadelphia has allowed Shannon to pursue one of her hobbies, the physically demanding activity of aerial acrobatics. This requires grip strength and various hand and leg movements. She said, “I wouldn’t be able to do this without Shriners.” The care teams at Shriners Children’s do everything in their capacity to help patients pursue their passions, including sports and other physical activities. Shannon has overcome all her previous physical challenges, and shows that with excellent medical care and determination, all goals can be achieved.