Shriners Children's Salt Lake City will host its 68th Annual Shrine Charity BBQ this Sunday to support its mission of providing specialized pediatric care to children regardless of their family's ability to pay or insurance status. The event continues a century-long tradition of community-driven fundraising for the nonprofit medical facility.
Specialized Pediatric Care Services
The fundraising efforts support a wide array of pediatric specialty clinics at the Salt Lake City facility. According to Shriners Children's, these clinics are designed to reduce the number of necessary visits by bringing together multiple specialists for assessment, treatment, and follow-up in a single day.
Specialized care offered at the facility includes orthopedics, pediatric surgery, spine and spinal cord treatments, and neuromuscular care. The hospital also provides dedicated services for cerebral palsy, skeletal dysplasia, and infantile scoliosis. To support these complex medical needs, the facility employs a variety of professionals, including social workers, child life specialists, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists.
Clubfoot Treatment Collaboration
One of the facility's primary focus areas is the Utah Clubfoot Clinic, a collaborative effort between Shriners Children's and the University of Utah Department of Orthopaedics. The clinic provides comprehensive diagnosis and management for infants and children with clubfoot.
Medical professionals at the clinic are trained in the Ponseti method for clubfoot correction, with two physicians having trained directly under Dr. Ignacio Ponseti, the developer of the method. The support team for these patients includes medical assistants, care managers, and physician assistants specializing in clubfoot care.
Child Passenger Safety Initiatives
In addition to orthopedic services, the facility addresses child safety through its Special Needs Car Seat Clinic. This clinic operates twice each month and utilizes National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) certified technicians to assess the specific car seat needs of children with complex healthcare requirements.
Unlike many other medical services, children under the age of 18 can be referred directly to this clinic without needing to be established Shriners Children's patients. The clinic focuses on custom-fitting seats to specific vehicles and educating families on proper usage for children with medical needs.
A Century of Medical History
The Salt Lake City facility has a history dating back to January 22, 1925, when it first opened as a wing at St. Mark's Hospital. Initially, Shriners International leased 20 beds to provide specialty orthopedic care to the Intermountain West.
Following increased demand, a new 40-bed hospital was opened in 1951 on land deeded from the Fort Douglas military reservation by President Harry S. Truman. The facility has since transitioned through major renovations, including the construction of a $33 million hospital that opened in 1995, and a transition to an outpatient facility in 2021.
Philanthropic Support and Fundraising
To sustain its mission, Shriners Children's Salt Lake City relies on various philanthropic avenues, including the Walk for LOVE fundraiser and direct donations. The organization accepts diverse forms of support, such as credit cards, ACH donations, stock gifts, and even cryptocurrency through partners like DonateStock.com.
Donors can also support the hospital through bequests, charitable gift annuities, or by donating property such as real estate, vehicles, or boats. These contributions ensure the hospital can continue providing pioneering treatment for patients from birth through age 18.
Advanced Medical Technology
The facility continues to integrate advanced medical technology into its treatment approach. This includes the installation of the Lokomat, a robotic rehabilitation device used for gait rehabilitation, and the EOS imaging system, which was installed in 2016 to reduce radiation exposure for patients by up to 90%.
