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North America's Shriners Will Be Holding Their Meeting This Year in Anaheim
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-- How Will You Use This Story? --
(OPEN):
THE SHRINERS--ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S MOST-COLORFUL AND
-VISIBLE ORGANIZATIONS--WILL BE MEETING FOR THEIR ANNUAL CONVENTION IN
ANAHEIM, STARTING ON JULY 1ST. 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, DOCTOR BERNARD LEMIEUX,
EXPLAINS...
(LEMIEUX):
"WE'VE TREATED APPROXIMATELY 835-THOUSAND CHILDREN, SINCE 19-22.
THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED TO TREAT ORTHOPEDIC
PROBLEMS 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, MUSCLES, AND JOINTS. IN THE 19-60'S, WE EVEN ADDED
PEDIATRIC BURN CARE TO OUR AREA OF EXPERTISE--FOR WHICH THERE WAS A
TREMENDOUS NEED. INDEED, 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 UNITS
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 5TH, AT THE
ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
CONVENTION--AND ABOUT THE 22 SHRINERS HOSPITALS--VISIT
W-W-W-DOT-"SHRINERS-H-Q"-DOT-ORG.
