Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis is one of several hospitals created by the Shriners Temple and located in various cities throughout North America. The first hospital was opened in 1922 in Shreveport, LA to treat orthopedic injuries and birth defects in children. Less than a century later there are 18 orthopedic hospitals, three burn hospitals, and one providing burn and spinal cord care.

In St. Louis, Shriners Hospital was opened 1924 and has been in existence ever since. I happen to have a personal relationship with this particular hospital because I was a patient there on three separate occasions and all for orthopedic surgeries on my legs. Each time I was treated the cost to my parents was the same - nothing. Included in my treatment were surgery, the hospital stay (ranging from 2 to 11 weeks depending on the procedure), food, physical therapy, outpatient care, and more. And my parents never had to worry about spending a dime, which gave them room to focus solely on me.

Free care is the standard for the Shriners Hospital. From the beginning they set a precedent to handle the cost knowing the patient and family had enough to deal with - and that precedent stands to this day. Every year in St. Louis, we they have the Shriners Parade where we will see Moolah Temple members riding in fun little cars, tossing candy to excited onlookers. This fun parade only tips the iceberg of what they do, however. Shriner's members spend each year developing fundraising efforts to keep the hospitals open and available for all, and they succeed every year. As a result, anyone under the age of 18 with an eligible problem is granted treatment, regardless of financial income.

According to Shriners Hospital's statistics, in 2006, their entire circuit of hospitals accepted 38,984 new patients and attended to 128,578 patients - impressive! But nothing is as impressive as the patient care received when staying in the hospital. My longest stay as a patient was my first one in 1991 when I underwent a leg-lengthening procedure that kept me in the hospital for almost three months. During that time, I was in a lot of physical and emotional pain; I had never been away from home for so long and longed for some normalcy. They tried their best to give me and other patients just that with afternoon and evening activities available every day, trips to the St. Louis Zoo and other fun local attractions, and even visits from famous athletes. And on a personal level, the nursing staff and doctors were very sympathetic and loving, which made all of us feel comfortable.

Some patients, including my best friend during my first stay, were from different countries and needed extra attention. My friend was from Belize and was having both of her legs lengthened due to bowed legs as a result of rickets. Being so far from home, she needed to feel comfortable, which is why Shriners Hospital provided her mother with free housing in the parent's wing of the hospital during her entire stay, which lasted several months. Free housing is another mandate of the hospital, as well as free transportation. Their services are virtually limitless.

By the time I was finished with my care from Shriners Hospital in St. Louis, I had two even legs and a repaired ligament. I was able to walk away with a sense of accomplishment in correcting leg problems that could have become more serious in adulthood. But I also left feeling cared for. At Shriners Hospital, they don't just care for broken bones; they care for people - just what the patient ordered.

Please Note: This author is offering one persons description of the care offered and not based on his own personal experience.

Jeffrey Meier of Jam727 Enterprises at http://www.Jam727.com offers information articles on a wide variety of subjects including Hospitals Information at http://www.jam727.com/hospital/Hospitals-Usa.php