Blog # 0047 Shriners Hospital for Children, Greenville, SC
You wouldn’t think that going to a hospital would be a good experience but when it is, that says something about the place – something really good! I had the opportunity for a guided tour of the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Greenville, SC this weekend and acted on it. I have friends who belong to this organization. They have always told me that going to a Shriners hospital would change someone’s opinion of the organization, good or bad. They were not lying. This was an emotional but great experience for me.
The lobby of this place and check-in process made the first and honestly, for me, the biggest impression. I’m not going to focus on the staff in this blog but will briefly say that they were among the most friendly and helpful I’ve ever had experience with. Moving on – the lobby was designed to make children feel more comfortable. There was a fountain with an elephant statue and a giraffe statue that kids could look at while they waited. There were free gifts, Star Wars statues for pictures, and it was very open and colorful as opposed to cold and closed in. Another piece of the lobby experience was the Fez display case.
This held Fez (funny red hats these guys wear) from all over the country. Other sub-organizations of the Shriners were also represented in this area. Along the walls were donation plaques for people and organizations that had made donations in varying amounts. Then was the bell.
This bell, like the chemo bell, was a very emotional thing to see and think about but, it was a happy one too. When children are through with treatment, they get to ring this. I imagine that this sound is met with cheering from the staff and, I can only imagine how the child and family feel when they get to pull that black tassel. It has to also offer encouragement to those who are undergoing treatment. As I was getting the tour, I saw children with various issues come through the lobby doors. Some were evident and others were not but, I knew that they were there for a reason. I don’t know how many but, I know this from my tour guide – children come in that cannot walk but in the end walk up, ring that bell, and then walk out the doors.
So, I was curious as we all are about how this place is funded. According to my guide, the Shriners are a very old organization and have made a lot of investments over time that yield interest that funds this hospital and the others that they operate. This is what makes this so cool though, a child will be treated by the Shriners Hospital for Children with or without insurance. I couldn’t believe this. I noticed as I got my tour that the only question asked about money was “do you have insurance?” If you did, it was filed but if you did not, you were treated anyway and to the same high standard. I’m not a politician and I don’t have the answer but, I think health care is broken in our country. This experience offered some light to me regarding healthcare. I had the opportunity to ask one of the leading doctors at the hospital some questions. My main question was, “Why did you choose to work here?” This man could have chosen any hospital he wanted. He explained that the Shriners made it possible for him to treat his patients without the hurdle of them being able to afford it. This shows you the level of care offered at Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Greenville, SC.
My guide showed me the onsite brace shop where techs worked to create prosthetics for children and braces for them to use. According to him, a child normally has a tech that stays with them throughout their treatment. This tech continues to fit the braces as the child grows. He showed me the build a bear shop where children who are facing scary surgeries and things can construct a bear with the same issue to help them through. I was shown a lab with a lot of cameras that the doctors were able to use to watch a child walk in order to pinpoint exact issues for the absolute best treatment plans. The guide explained he had seen countless children come in this room barely able to walk but one day walk out fine. Along the tour route, we met a little girl who had recently undergone spine surgery. She walked with her physician and was happy to spin around for us. My guide knew her by name and interacted with her. He pretended to be dizzy which inspired the child to laugh. Although this child had been through a recent surgery, she was very happy and playful. There was a joy in hardship in this facility that I have never seen anywhere.
Can’t find a way to get your child to the hospital? No worries. A group called the “Road Runners” will bring the child and parents to the hospital and then ensure they get home too. This was just another way in which children were given the best care possible. Some statistics my guide offered are below:
Life-Changing Surgeries Performed 2021: 1,171
Prosthetic & Orthotic Deliveries 2021: 6,532
Rehabilitation Procedures Performed 2021: 20,622
Motion Analysis Studies 2021: 855
Miles Traveled by Road Runners 2021: 431, 998
All of the above services were free of charge too! I would like to hope that no one ever needs a place like Shriner’s Hospital for Children, but they do and will. If your child is in need of the best medical care for issues treated at a Shriners Hospital, you’re not going to find a better experience or level of care. There are so many charities today and as we all know, they are not all good or legitimate. The Shriners is one though, that you can rest assured is a legit and great charity to support. The next time you see those fellows in funny red hats, support them in what they do.