Shriners Hospital for Children – Northern California is a regional pediatric medical center that provides highly specialized care and rehabilitation to children with congenital conditions and complex medical needs regardless of the families’ ability to pay. It’s one of 22 Shriners facilities in North America and part of a hospital network where children suffering from the crippling effects of polio, clubfoot and other orthopaedic conditions can receive life-changing medical care.
Private sector funding, such as the $3,000 grant it recently received from the Sundt Foundation, allows the hospital to support an increasing number of children who are in need of care and rehabilitation for orthopaedic conditions, spinal cord injuries, burns, cleft lip, gastrointestinal diseases, anorectal disorders, chest wall malformations and other surgical needs.
“The vast amount of our funding comes from charitable contributors,” said Director of Development Alan Anderson. “We need donors of all sizes to make things happen. Without them, the specialized healthcare we provide wouldn’t be possible.”
Because of the seriousness of their injuries or the complexity of their congenital conditions, a number of children treated by Shriners Hospital specialists are patients for many years, often until they are young adults. Doctors monitor each child’s progress, and many patients return for surgery, therapy, braces, prostheses and other services.
“The types of conditions we treat don’t go away with one hospital visit,” Alan said. “When patients return for follow-up visits, they are seen by the same doctor. This allows families to become well-acquainted with physicians and staff, creating an atmosphere more conducive for healing.”
Shriners Hospital for Children – Northern California draws patients from across the West, as far north as Alaska and east as the Rocky Mountain States. Since opening in 1997, the hospital has provided more than 65,000 children with medical, surgical and rehabilitative care.
“The Sacramento Shriners Children’s Hospital has been a fixture in Northern California and many area Sundt employee-owners know families who have been touched by the specialized services that Shriners provides,” said Sundt Employee-Owner Allison Joseph, who’s part of the committee that chose the hospital for funding. “We are proud to be able to give back to this exceptional organization that has done so much for children and families.”