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t m c » p u l s e | m a r c h 2 0 1 8 23 * * * In 1922, Shriners International, an offshoot fraternity of Freemasonry, established a network of hospitals across the country dedicated to treat- ing children with orthopedic injuries, diseases and birth defects. The first hospital, located in Shreveport, Louisiana, was initially named the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children. Since then, Shriners has expanded its scope to treat burns, spinal cord injury and cleft lip and palate. But its mission remains beautifully simple: to treat any child up to age 18, regardless of race, religion or a family's ability to pay. No child is ever turned away. "It's so refreshing that you can concentrate on the patient and their needs, rather than insurance status or anything else," said pediat- ric orthopedic surgeon Douglas Barnes, M.D., chief of staff at Shriners – Houston. "This is what makes it great to work here." Each of the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children across North America serves a desig- nated area. Shriners – Houston treats patients from Texas and three northeastern states of Mexico: Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León. Although patients south of the border are not American citizens, Shriners – Houston does not distinguish or discriminate when it comes to treatment. Whether they're from the U.S. or Mexico, patients receive the same level of care. "We get to treat the patients the way they deserve to be treated without having to worry about … all the governmental regulations and so forth," Barnes said. "If somebody needs something and it's medically necessary, we're going to get it. It doesn't matter if it comes out of our operational funds or whether it's then sourced from third-party peers. … We're going to get whatever they need." La Feria is the oldest of the four sites across the state where Shriners – Houston holds outreach clinics. The other clinics are held in Laredo, Amarillo and El Paso. Short of offering surgery, these clinics are equipped to take care of all the patients' needs. The main hall of the 9,000-square-foot building in La Feria is sectioned into five differ- ent zones of organized chaos during the clinic: administration, where patient files and charts are managed; the clinic area, which is outfitted with examination tables; an imaging room for X-rays; a physical and occupational therapy zone; and an orthotic and prosthetic area for technicians to create casting molds for custom prosthetic limbs. A built-in workshop occupies an adjacent room, where technicians can make adjustments to orthotic and prosthetic devices right then and there. Despite the snow outside, the La Feria clinic emanated warmth inside. Cartoon animal cut- outs and stickers adorned makeshift dividers set up throughout the building. Children scooted around the hall in their walkers and wheelchairs, navigating rows of metal folding chairs. The Shriners volunteers, dressed as clowns or sport- ing their trademark red fezzes, traipsed around the hall with the children and their families, offering food, drinks and holiday toys. Many of the families had traveled six or eight hours to get to the clinic. "Some of these children will come in with lit- erally every article of clothing that they own on their body. They've traveled overnight. They're tired. They're hungry," Stephenson said. "You just appreciate the struggle that it must be to have a child with special needs." (continued) Top: Traci Phelps, an orthotist from the Hanger Clinic of Houston, makes adjustments to a prosthetic leg at the Shriners clinic in La Feria. Bottom left: Orthotist Dave Zaborowski cuts a cast off a child's leg at the clinic. Bottom middle: Markings indicate what adjustments need to be made to a prosthetic leg. Bottom right: Douglas Barnes, M.D., chief of staff at Shriners – Houston, assesses a child's arm in the clinic.