When my son was six months old he was severely burnt. He spent two weeks in the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital burn center, then another two weeks there when it was apparent his burns were too deep to heal on their own and required skin grafts.

Three summers ago he was accepted into the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital burn program. Our local Shrine Temple transported us to Galveston, Texas at no expense to us. They paid for our travel, our hotel, our meals, and all of WK’s medical expenses.

When the doctor’s there said they could perform the surgery the same week as our initial appointment, the Shrine Temple paid all our expenses to stay an additional two days, then paid again when we had to return for a follow-up a week later.

Children accepted into the Shriner’s burn or orthopaedic programs, and those with spinal cord injuries or cleft lip, are treated at no expense to the family. The hospitals provide outstanding medical care and rely on private funding for their programs.