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North America's Shriners Will Be Holding Their Meeting This Year in St. Louis
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(OPEN):
THE SHRINERS--ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S MOST-COLORFUL AND
-HISTORIC ORGANIZATIONS--WILL BE MEETING FOR THEIR ANNUAL CONVENTION, IN
SAINT LOUIS, STARTING ON JUNE 29TH. KNOWN FOR THEIR PARADES,
CIRCUSES, AND ALL-STAR SPORTING EVENTS, THE SHRINERS ALSO OPERATE A
SYSTEM OF 22 PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS THAT PROVIDE SPECIALIZED CARE--AT NO
CHARGE--TO CHILDREN WITH ORTHOPEDIC CONDITIONS, BURNS, SPINAL-CORD
INJURIES, AND CLEFT LIP AND PALATE. SHRINERS LEADER, DOUG
MAXWELL, EXPLAINS THE WIDE REACH OF SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR
CHILDREN...
(MAXWELL):
"WE'VE PROVIDED CARE FOR MORE THAN 865-THOUSAND CHILDREN, SINCE
19-22. THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED TO TREAT
ORTHOPEDIC CONDITIONS CAUSED BY POLIO--WHICH, AT THAT TIME, WAS THE BIG
PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AFTER THE POLIO VACCINE WAS DEVELOPED, SHRINERS
CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON TREATING VARIOUS ORTHOPEDIC CONDITIONS--WHICH
INVOLVE THE BONES, THE MUSCLES, AND THE JOINTS. IN THE 19-60'S, WE
ADDED PEDIATRIC BURN CARE TO OUR AREA OF EXPERTISE--FOR WHICH THERE WAS
A TREMENDOUS NEED. SHRINERS RESEARCH WORK AND TREATMENT TECHNIQUES
FOR BURN INJURIES ARE KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD. IN THE '80'S, WE
ESTABLISHED THE FIRST SPINAL-CORD-INJURY REHABILITATION PROGRAMS IN THE
UNITED STATES DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS. AND,
IN 2005, SHRINERS BEGAN OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT FOR KIDS WITH
CLEFT LIP AND PALATE. THOSE ARE THE FOUR CARE SPECIALTY AREAS AT
SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN."
(CLOSE):
THE SHRINERS CONVENTION WILL BE HELD THROUGH JULY 3RD, AT AMERICA'S
CENTER, IN SAINT LOUIS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
CONVENTION--AND THE 22 SHRINERS HOSPITALS--VISIT
W-W-W-DOT-"SHRINERS-H-Q"-DOT-ORG.
