Hamot Medical Center is in financial talks with the Shriners' Hospital of Erie.
Shriners' faces possible closure and will find out its fate at the Shriners' National Convention on July 6th through the 8th in Texas. Due to the poor economy, the hospital has been losing significant amounts of money.
However, TV12News has learned that Hamot wants to step in and help keep the hospital operating in the area.
Hamot Medical Center Chief Operating Officer Jim Fiorenzo writes in a statement, "Hamot and the Erie Shriners Hospital for Children have had a long-standing relationship. It is important that Shriners' has a future in this community and we want to help make that happen. We are in continuing negotiations with the Shriners and are encouraged by the conversations we have had with [Erie Shriners' Hospital Administrator] Chuck Walczak and his team."
Save Our Shriners' -- the grassroots group that raises money to keep the hospital open, say they heard the news this week at a banquet honoring the Shriners' Hospital.
"The only thing that really came from that was a comment by Jim Fiorenzo from Hamot, who said, 'We would never try to have Shriners' leave the area.' If, down the road, it came to that, I think they would do whatever we needed them to do to ensure that Shriners' would remain in Erie," Save Our Shriners Co-Founder Don Marinucci says.
Sources say that talks between the two hospitals came naturally, as Hamot owns the land where Shriners' is built. They also share some programming and medical staffing.
Lisa Weismann
140 year of Shriners
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Shriners vital to Spokane
Special to The Spokesman-Review June 27, 2009 in Opinion
by Rich Hadley
“Finding out that your child has special needs is so overwhelming. It was such a comfort to know that we could get the best treatment available right here at home.” Those words, from my wife’s friend, Bambi Howe, of Spokane, echo what many other parents throughout the Inland Northwest are saying about Spokane’s Shriners Hospital for Children.
Howe’s first child had cerebral palsy symptoms. She said, “Shriners has provided care for him throughout the past 15 years, providing everything from splints to help him with walking, to casts to straighten his leg.”
This past spring, the family learned their daughter has a severe case of scoliosis. They headed back to Shriners Spokane, and next month she will get a brace to straighten her spine.
But now, the Howes and families throughout our region face the possibility Spokane’s Shriners will close.
Just like nearly everyone else during these tough economic times, Shriners Children’s Hospitals nationwide are hurting; the charity’s endowment has lost $3 billion. To stop the bleeding, Shriners’ governing body will vote in July whether to close Spokane Shriners and five other hospitals across the country.
Unlike other organizations and businesses, Shriners Hospital for Children has no steady income stream and accepts no payments. Our local Shriners operates on a $13.5 million budget solely from donations to treat an average 8,500 patients annually from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Canada and Mexico. Where will these children get care if Shriners closes? Portland? It has 300-plus names on a waiting list for admission. Salt Lake City? That’s nearly 800 miles away; and with Shriners’ willingness to cover all transportation and housing expenses for patients and their families during their stay, it seems unlikely they’d begin to fly in patients from all across the Northwest.
More than half the procedures at Shriners Spokane are same-day surgeries. That eliminates the need for a lengthy hospital stay, and children can heal at home. At a time when health care reformers are clamoring for greater efficiencies, shouldn’t we applaud Shriners for their efforts instead of penalizing and handicapping them?
And, since many families are losing health insurance in this recession, an organization like Shriners is uniquely positioned to provide specialized care while children are treated in state-of-the-art facilities by pediatric orthopedic specialists, for free.
In addition, Shriners educates 30 medical and nursing students each year through pediatric internships. If Shriners closes, Spokane will lose a vital teaching center and an institution that’s been a part of the community since 1924.
Several generations of Howe’s family have gotten care at Shriners. Her mom had surgery for polio at age 13, which gave her the ability to walk.
Howe told me in an e-mail, “My mom would not have been able to receive treatment if Shriners were not here in Spokane. She was one of twelve children in a very poor family. Three of those twelve children had polio, and finances were simply not available.”
Our Shriners Hospital has treated 60,000 children over the past 85 years. It is a beacon of hope, help and healing. Bambi said it best: “It would be beyond tragic for our Shriners to close.”
This is a great community. It is time to stand up and pull together for Shriners.
You can help save Spokane’s Shriners Hospital for Children. Visit www.greaterspokane.org/ and click, “We Need Shriners.”
Rich Hadley is president and CEO of Greater Spokane Incorporated, a regional economic development group.
by Rich Hadley
“Finding out that your child has special needs is so overwhelming. It was such a comfort to know that we could get the best treatment available right here at home.” Those words, from my wife’s friend, Bambi Howe, of Spokane, echo what many other parents throughout the Inland Northwest are saying about Spokane’s Shriners Hospital for Children.
Howe’s first child had cerebral palsy symptoms. She said, “Shriners has provided care for him throughout the past 15 years, providing everything from splints to help him with walking, to casts to straighten his leg.”
This past spring, the family learned their daughter has a severe case of scoliosis. They headed back to Shriners Spokane, and next month she will get a brace to straighten her spine.
But now, the Howes and families throughout our region face the possibility Spokane’s Shriners will close.
Just like nearly everyone else during these tough economic times, Shriners Children’s Hospitals nationwide are hurting; the charity’s endowment has lost $3 billion. To stop the bleeding, Shriners’ governing body will vote in July whether to close Spokane Shriners and five other hospitals across the country.
Unlike other organizations and businesses, Shriners Hospital for Children has no steady income stream and accepts no payments. Our local Shriners operates on a $13.5 million budget solely from donations to treat an average 8,500 patients annually from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Canada and Mexico. Where will these children get care if Shriners closes? Portland? It has 300-plus names on a waiting list for admission. Salt Lake City? That’s nearly 800 miles away; and with Shriners’ willingness to cover all transportation and housing expenses for patients and their families during their stay, it seems unlikely they’d begin to fly in patients from all across the Northwest.
More than half the procedures at Shriners Spokane are same-day surgeries. That eliminates the need for a lengthy hospital stay, and children can heal at home. At a time when health care reformers are clamoring for greater efficiencies, shouldn’t we applaud Shriners for their efforts instead of penalizing and handicapping them?
And, since many families are losing health insurance in this recession, an organization like Shriners is uniquely positioned to provide specialized care while children are treated in state-of-the-art facilities by pediatric orthopedic specialists, for free.
In addition, Shriners educates 30 medical and nursing students each year through pediatric internships. If Shriners closes, Spokane will lose a vital teaching center and an institution that’s been a part of the community since 1924.
Several generations of Howe’s family have gotten care at Shriners. Her mom had surgery for polio at age 13, which gave her the ability to walk.
Howe told me in an e-mail, “My mom would not have been able to receive treatment if Shriners were not here in Spokane. She was one of twelve children in a very poor family. Three of those twelve children had polio, and finances were simply not available.”
Our Shriners Hospital has treated 60,000 children over the past 85 years. It is a beacon of hope, help and healing. Bambi said it best: “It would be beyond tragic for our Shriners to close.”
This is a great community. It is time to stand up and pull together for Shriners.
You can help save Spokane’s Shriners Hospital for Children. Visit www.greaterspokane.org/ and click, “We Need Shriners.”
Rich Hadley is president and CEO of Greater Spokane Incorporated, a regional economic development group.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
KECI-TV 13 -Shriners
Check out this link for what they are saying in Montana.
www.keci.com/pages/4327178.php
www.keci.com/pages/4327178.php
Friday, June 26, 2009
This Little Klown is going to market
The Shriner’s Kader Klowns are planning to be at the July 12th Villebois Sunday Farmer’s Market beginning at 10am! Two clowns Bingo and Bullseye will be there making FREE balloon sculptures for children. They will also be giving each child a FREE coloring book and crayons from the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. Their BIG red sneaker will be there for donations for the hospital’s research fund for treating burned children -(The Sneaker Fund). There may also be a special guest appearance!!
For over 75 years, The Shriner's Hospital has treated more than 700,000 children with orthopedic problems, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate care, up to their 18th birthday. They are in a network of 22 hospitals providing expert medical care, absolutely free of charge. We are so fortunate to have one of the Shriner's Hospitals right here in the West Hills of Portland.
Come to Wilsonville's Sunday Market where you can eat breakfast and lunch, buy fresh produce from local farms, shop for homemade goods, listen to live music and make memories with your children and the Kader Klowns. Don't forget to bring your camera!
For more information on The Shriner's Hospital and the Al Kader Klowns, please visit www.alkadershriners.org. For more information on the Villebois Sunday Market please visit www.villeboissundaymarket.com.
Blog post contributed by Kristine Bresnahan
For over 75 years, The Shriner's Hospital has treated more than 700,000 children with orthopedic problems, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate care, up to their 18th birthday. They are in a network of 22 hospitals providing expert medical care, absolutely free of charge. We are so fortunate to have one of the Shriner's Hospitals right here in the West Hills of Portland.
Come to Wilsonville's Sunday Market where you can eat breakfast and lunch, buy fresh produce from local farms, shop for homemade goods, listen to live music and make memories with your children and the Kader Klowns. Don't forget to bring your camera!
For more information on The Shriner's Hospital and the Al Kader Klowns, please visit www.alkadershriners.org. For more information on the Villebois Sunday Market please visit www.villeboissundaymarket.com.
Blog post contributed by Kristine Bresnahan
Thursday, June 25, 2009
One circus, one good time, Hermiston, Or.
By ROBERT DEANE The Hermiston Herald
Children and adults enjoyed beautiful weather and a fun show during Circus Gatti's visit Saturday to the Umatilla County Fairgrounds in Hermiston.
While numbers in total were down, 500 total for both shows (150 afternoon, 350, in the evening), it didn't stop parents and their children from enjoying the theatrics of the circus' arial acrobats, metal motorcycle riders, clowns, elephants and other activities for the annual Shriners presented event.
"It's fun," said Hope Cameron, 8 while watching the arial acrobats perform.
Adults even got in on the fun personally with Circus Gatti's Alejo the clown picking out volunteers like Hermiston resident Jose Garcia to both act like he was riding a motorcycle and jump rope while blind-folded.
"It was the best workout of my life," said Garcia.
Garcia said he brought his three-year-old daughter to the circus so she could ride the elephant.
"She was real excited and up at 6 a.m.," he said, adding she wanted to get ready for the 2 p.m. show right then.
For some families coming to the circus has become a family tradition.
"It's our third year in a row," said Bobbi Hughes whose two daughters Mystery, Lexus and their friends Jazzy Billman and Tierra Appling rode one of the circus elephants during intermission.
For Appling, it was the first time she'd been to a circus.
"We've had a lot of fun and I'd come back," she said.
For the Shriners, particularly the Desert Shrine Club of Hermiston who has sponsored the circus for 45 years, the fun children have is what the event is about.
"I think it's the world's greatest philanthropy and serves a good cause," said Dick Crist, Desert Shrine club member.
The money, he added, goes to the Shriners' Children's Hospital in Portland where children are admitted and treated without charge.
Desert Shrine Club president Reese Burkenbine was happy to see the turnout the circus received Saturday that raised $2,000 for the Shriners.
"Considering the economy we did pretty good and we'll bring them back next year," he said.
Shriners Hospital for Children: A proud tradition
Contributed by: Allen Duey published on the Hub by the Denver Newspaper Assoc.
Parades, conventions, comraderie... the Shriners have a lot of proud traditions... but none they're prouder of than the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a one-of-a-kind international health care system of hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Over the past 86 years, Shriners Hospitals for Children has provided the best, most advanced medical care, at absolutely no charge, to more than 865,000 children. Children up to age 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and receive all care in a family-centered environment at no charge - regardless of financial need. Acceptance is based solely on a child's medical needs. For patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children, ability to pay or insurance coverage is never an issue. There is no charge for any care or services provided within Shriners Hospitals for Children facilities.
The Shriners Hospitals specializing in orthopaedics are dedicated to providing medical and rehabilitative services to children with congenital deformities, problems resulting from orthopaedic injuries, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Some of the most commonly treated conditions include clubfoot, limb deficiencies and discrepancies, scoliosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and orthopedic problems related to spina bifida.
FUNDING: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Shriners Hospitals for Children relies on the generous donations of Shriners and the general public to carry out our mission and change the lives of children every day. For more information about supporting Shriners Hospitals, please visit www.shrinershospitals.org or call (800) 241-GIFT.
LOCALLY, El Jebel Shriners volunteers provide support services for Shriners Hospital patients in our jurisdiction. Locally, we provide logistical and clerical services for Screening Clinics, Outreach Clinics, and Telemedicine Clinics, on behalf of Shriners Hospitals. El Jebel Shriners also provide support in terms of travel to Shriners Hospitals, by booking airfare for the patient and one parent/guardian, or by providing a nominal sum to those who wish to travel by car. Currently, there are nearly 1000 children in our jurisdiction (northern Colorado) who are receiving continuing care through Shriners Hospitals.
Do you know of a child that Shriners Hospitals might be able to help? If so, please call the El Jebel Shriners office in Denver at (303) 455-3470.
Parades, conventions, comraderie... the Shriners have a lot of proud traditions... but none they're prouder of than the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a one-of-a-kind international health care system of hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Over the past 86 years, Shriners Hospitals for Children has provided the best, most advanced medical care, at absolutely no charge, to more than 865,000 children. Children up to age 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and receive all care in a family-centered environment at no charge - regardless of financial need. Acceptance is based solely on a child's medical needs. For patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children, ability to pay or insurance coverage is never an issue. There is no charge for any care or services provided within Shriners Hospitals for Children facilities.
The Shriners Hospitals specializing in orthopaedics are dedicated to providing medical and rehabilitative services to children with congenital deformities, problems resulting from orthopaedic injuries, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Some of the most commonly treated conditions include clubfoot, limb deficiencies and discrepancies, scoliosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and orthopedic problems related to spina bifida.
FUNDING: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Shriners Hospitals for Children relies on the generous donations of Shriners and the general public to carry out our mission and change the lives of children every day. For more information about supporting Shriners Hospitals, please visit www.shrinershospitals.org or call (800) 241-GIFT.
LOCALLY, El Jebel Shriners volunteers provide support services for Shriners Hospital patients in our jurisdiction. Locally, we provide logistical and clerical services for Screening Clinics, Outreach Clinics, and Telemedicine Clinics, on behalf of Shriners Hospitals. El Jebel Shriners also provide support in terms of travel to Shriners Hospitals, by booking airfare for the patient and one parent/guardian, or by providing a nominal sum to those who wish to travel by car. Currently, there are nearly 1000 children in our jurisdiction (northern Colorado) who are receiving continuing care through Shriners Hospitals.
Do you know of a child that Shriners Hospitals might be able to help? If so, please call the El Jebel Shriners office in Denver at (303) 455-3470.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
9 Mexican burn victims now at Calif. Shriners Hospital for Children
The Associated Press
SACRAMENTO—Nine children burned at a day care center in Mexico are now being treated at a pediatric burn center in Sacramento.
A Shriners Hospital for Children Northern California spokeswoman says five of the children are in critical condition and four are in fair condition. Catherine Curran says the three girls and six boys have burns covering 17 to 80 percent of their bodies.
She said seven other children injured in the June 5 fire will be treated at a Shriners clinic in Hermosillo, Mexico. Sacramento doctors flew to the nothern Mexican city a week after the fire to examine the children.
SACRAMENTO—Nine children burned at a day care center in Mexico are now being treated at a pediatric burn center in Sacramento.
A Shriners Hospital for Children Northern California spokeswoman says five of the children are in critical condition and four are in fair condition. Catherine Curran says the three girls and six boys have burns covering 17 to 80 percent of their bodies.
She said seven other children injured in the June 5 fire will be treated at a Shriners clinic in Hermosillo, Mexico. Sacramento doctors flew to the nothern Mexican city a week after the fire to examine the children.
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