The first Shriners Hospitals, in what would grow into an international network, was opened in Shreveport, LA, in 1922.  Today, Shriners  Hospitals comprise 18 orthopaedic hospitals , three burn hospitals, and one hospital providing orthapaedic, burn and spinal cord injury care.

The 22 Shriners Hospitals -- 20  in the United States and one each in Canada and Mexico -- provide expert orthopaedic and burn care to children regardless of their ability to pay.  All children, up to their 18th birthday, may be eligible for treatment at a Shriners Hoppital if, in the opinion of the hospitals chief of staff, the child has an orthopaedic or burn condition that can be helped.  Shriners Hospitals accept all treat children regardless of race, religion or relationship to a Shriner.

Shriners is funded by contributions. bequests, income for the Shriners Hospitals endowment fund, each Shriners annual hospital assessment, and designated charitable fundraising events.(Such as the Annual Shriners Charity Ladies Fast Pitch Softball Tournament).  

Men from all walks of life and all levels of income find fun, fellowship and relaxation in  Shrinedom and its acctivities. Today there are  more than 434,000 Shriners  in  191 temples(chapters) in United States, Canada, Mexico and the Republic of Panama.   In 2008 the Shriners Hospital budget is $722 million, including $44 million for research.  The capital expenditures budget is $104 million.   The Shriners has helped more than 865,000.  In 2007 the hospital admission was 28,164 and outpatient, outreach clinic and telemiedicine visits was 302,614 and patients cared for was 125,125.

Since the first Shriners Hospital opened, there

 have been approximately:

   9,419,130 x-ray and radiology exams

    7,112,840 outpatients and outreach clinic visits

    740,945 operation preformed

     1,254,854 braces and prostheses applied

     16,410,800 physical thearapy treatments given

At year end 2004 the active patient roster at all Shriner Hospital totaled 194,254.  During the year, the hospitals approve 35,128 new applications for treatment.