Shriners Hospital committed to physical, mental and emotional healing

When he was just 7 months old, Kaj was involved in a car accident that resulted in third-degree burns covering 30 percent of his body. He was life-flighted to Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati, which specializes in burn care and cleft lip and palate.
 
Shriners is committed to “Care beyond cost,” as no family is ever turned down because of finances, and it’s this sort of generosity that extends into all measures of a patient’s life when in the hospital’s care.
 
“What stood out to me the most was the genuine compassion of our social worker,” says Amanda Shrode, Kaj’s mother. “Immediately she helped me cope with what had just happened to my son, in the most comprehensive and sensitive way. She provided our family with everything we needed and answered questions I hadn't even thought to ask. For the rest of my life, I will never be able to express how much this meant to me, and still does.”
 
Kaj is now a healthy 3-year-old boy, though he will most likely require follow-up surgeries  — as do most burn victims — to ensure his future ease of mobility. And Shriners will provide services to him until adulthood.
 
At Shriners, however, services consist of more than quality medical treatment. Staffers are committed to nurturing the physical, mental and emotional healing of individuals and their families.
 
Camp Ytiliba (Ability spelled backwards), for example, is a three-night camping trip sponsored by the hospital to inspire confidence and connection among children with similar medical issues. Children return from the 26th annual outing Wednesday, June 3.
 
For Shrode, the care provided from Shriners is meaningful, as the staff works to create a warm atmosphere by building relationships.
 
“The staff at Cincinnati Shriners Hospital feels like family to me and Kaj,” Shrode says. “It’s about making sure your kids feel comfortable in their own skin.”

Do Good: 

• Support Shriners Hospitals for Children by donating.

• Volunteer at Shriners.

• Connect with the Shriners Cincinnati on Facebook, where you can see photos of kids enjoying Camp Ytiliba.