The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

AN international fraternity has announced its intention to assist local physicians and medical facilities with treatment, education and equipment for children suffering from orthopaedic problems.

Shriners Hospitals for Children (SHC), owned and operated by The Shriners, a Freemasonry-related organisation, is also establishing a presence in The Bahamas.

“We’re trying to establish contact with children in need here in The Bahamas,” said Allen Wilson, new Shriner Noble, who lives in Nassau.

“In fact we’ve already had one child treated at the Tampa hospital, and we’re trying to get everything moving so that we can help more and more children.

“We have an informal Shrine Club at the moment but we’re hoping to establish an official Shrine Club. At the moment we’re affiliated with the Mahi Shriners in Florida. We will have hopefully, by April, an official Shrine Club in The Bahamas, and then, of course, we could do more to help people who are disadvantaged throughout society, particularly children.”

SHC is a network of 22 medical facilities across North America. Children with various orthopaedic conditions can receive care and access to services, regardless of their financial constraints.

Additionally, patients must be minors under 18 and are not required to have any familial affiliation with the Shriners order or Freemasonry.

An article published in most recent edition of the Mahi Magazine reports a visit last year to Royal Victoria Lodge No.443 in Nassau followed by the Divan – the international governing body of Shriners International – flying over to attend a meeting.

Last April those present were given a full synopsis on Shriners and SHC. That and subsequent meetings created an “increased awareness of exactly what Shriners Hospitals for Children can do for children”.

New Shriner noble George Wheeler, who works closely with the Physically Challenged Children’s Committee of Nassau, began inquiring whether SHC could help Bahamian children with orthopaedic problems.

Recorder John Borsa Jr and Mahi’s Tampa Board of Governors member, Illustrious Sir Al Lourido, also reportedly began talks with “the appropriate parties.”

SHC Trustee Dr Peter Diaz became involved and board approval was given to evaluate the situation and potential patients in Nassau.

In November Dr Diaz and Tampa Chief of Staff Dr Maureen Maciel visited the Princess Margaret Hospital and worked with Bahamian orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Winston Phillips.

It was then determined that SHC could indeed help the children.

“The biggest need is not necessarily for us to bring patients to Tampa but rather to provide education and perhaps some orthopaedic treatment equipment to the local doctors,” Dr Diaz said.

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the hospitals are owned and operated by Shriners International, previously known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

Shriners International was established in the United States 1870 and is a spin off from Freemasonry. Rather than focusing on rituals as in freemasonry, Shriners focus on fun and fellowship.

According to the magazine, most Bahamian masons are not familiar with the fraternity since it is not a part of English freemasonry.

The group plans to hold recruitment drives on Grand Bahama, Abaco and Andros before moving onto the central islands.