A Day in the Life at Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada

We're studying the phenomena of Shriners care, and we now call it the Shriners experience. We completely work with the family and the kids to make their experience at our hospital one of a kind. So as soon as we set up a first visit, right away they will be treated with compassion because that's a very strong component of who we are. Also, when children and family come, especially for those who travel, they're already surrounded by a Shriner volunteer. And even it starts at the reception, you can tell right away that you're being treated like a human being. We are listening to your needs. And from there, the journey starts.

So, from the moment you enter the door, many people say you feel differently when you walk into a Shriners Hospital. And that comes from the reception greeting, from the tailored care, from trying to coordinate services, to trying to ensure that you have as little disruption to your everyday life as possible, and that we understand your need. We understand that there are other pressures at home, that there are other demands on your time, but that you need to also care for a child that is in need of specialized treatment. So we try to go along with our patients and families in that journey and do it together.

When we have these complex kids, it's just not me that takes care of them, it's myself, it's the nurse, it's the OT, it's the PT, it's the social worker. If it's other specialties, they come in here. We have a phenomenal rhizotomy clinic, which involves cerebral palsy, and involves neurosurgeons, neurologists, and we work as a team. And then parents like when they see three different professionals taking care of their kid. And not only that, conversing after to discuss what's best for the child. I think as a parent with a child that has multiple issues, and if that issue has orthopedic issues and others, we're great for that.

Luckily, Shriners Canada had the treatment for this condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, it's type five, so it's a rare condition, but it's one of the mild ones. So, we come here once or twice a year to get his treatment done, and it takes about half a day, where he gets his injection, we meet with a lot of people, from the nurses, then we have physio that comes sees us, occupational therapists, social workers to come and make sure we, as a family, are doing well. We have the doctors, there's a big staff that always comes and sees us and makes sure that everything's going well with him.

For physiotherapy, what we do is, let's say for a person that has a physical disability, or has had an operation, well, we try to get them back to mobilize themselves, get them back to walk, get them back to doing their regular activities. So, we use techniques that are proven, that are scientifically proven that work, and if they can't, well, then we adapt. We look at different ways of doing things to help improve the function of the child so they can go back to their regular daily activities.

Since has been 19 years since I'm here. This is my home, literally. So, I don't know, everyone is really kind. They did ergotherapy, physiotherapy, surgeries on my wrists to me, to be able to move my hand, on my foot, to be able to walk... Because I wouldn't be able to walk or talk. So, I should be in a wheelchair, but now I'm not, I can walk, I can drive a bicycle, I can skate ice, I can do everything. And this is because of them that I'm here now.

I think families should know is that it's all around holistic care. Yes, you have the medical staff, you have the physical staff, but you also have the social services, you have the school services, you have the nutrition services. So, you don't get a care specific to the actual condition, but really everything that goes around. These are all the services that the Shriners provide that, it's not just when you're in the hospital, which is great and awesome, but the after as well

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Another thing is that when you see your kids suffer, the staff will do everything so you can be at ease.

[Hopitaux Shriners por enfants®; Shriners Hospitals for Children® Canada]