MUNCIE, Ind. — The Shriners Children's Hospital provides free treatment for children and their families so they can receive the medical care they need. The hospital gives treatment for orthopedic care, burn care, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate care. Acceptance for the eligibility of care is based on a child’s medical needs. This hospital is funded by numerous organizations across the country. One is the Murpah Shrine Club in Muncie.
Roy and Carissa Davis joined after they visited the building for a possible wedding venue.
Carissa Davis already knew about the club because she herself was almost a Shriners kid after being born with a birth defect.
“I know how important it is to families that need the care,” said Carissa.
The Murpah Shriners club has multiple events throughout the year, including selling meals to the community every Friday. They hold their own events, but also offer the space for rent to others. One of these events is in partnership with a seven-year-old girl, Hazel.
Hazel was eight months old when a tragic accident happened. Her experience is one that Roy Davis said he will never forget.
“She was in the garage, knocked over a kerosene heater, it poured over her, lit her up,” said Roy.
Hazel faced many surgeries after her accident. When she woke up in the hospital, she was surrounded by every variation of her favorite toy. She said that it kept her distracted while she went through treatment. Hazel now uses her story to give back to the community, as the community once did for her. Every year, she hosts a toy drive so kids can have that distraction as well.
Hazel with toys during her toy drive event. Courtesy of Carissa Davis.
Every person involved in Murpah Shrine Club is a volunteer. Outside of the club, they all have full-time jobs. Even though the things they may hear can be challenging, and they may feel overwhelmed by the amount of work they do, all the volunteers and members find their own reasons for doing it.
“They went through it, and they come out here and tell the stories of what we were doing that we don’t even know these individuals,” said Roy Davis. “When they come out and talk to us, and they, I mean, it’s hard for them to tell the stories; they break down. It’s hard for us to hear them ourselves, I mean, there's nothing that could motivate you more.”
Shriners Children’s Hospital exists in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There are groups on all six continents that raise money for the hospital. This has resulted in 1.5 million kids receiving free treatment. Families are provided with free transportation, a room adjacent to their child's, and a meal voucher, allowing them to be close to their child at all times while receiving treatment, with no financial burden.
Contact Cameron Noe with comments at cameron.noe@bsu.edu.
