Shriners donate $4,800 to pediatric clinic

The Sudbury Shrine Club and Rameses Shriners Toronto collaborated Monday to donate $4,800 to Health Sciences North's pediatric Botox clinic.

The clinic uses Botox injections to help children with mobility challenges.

Botox, or botulinum toxin, is a protein and neurotoxin used in a number of medical procedures, including treating muscles affected by upper motor neuron syndromes such as cerebral palsy.

Since 2004, the Sudbury Shrine Club and Rameses Shriners Toronto have donated more than $370,000 to the pediatric Botox clinic.

“Over the past decade, the Sudbury Shrine Club and Rameses Shriners Toronto have developed a great association with this clinic, and feel we have been a small part of the growth of this phenomenal service to children,” said Noble Al Burns, president of the Sudbury Shrine Club, in a release.

“It is complementary to our philanthropy to improve the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care through our international hospital network.”

The clinic serves around 100 children each year through 25 injection clinics.
“This clinic is very important to our patients and their families because it means a lot less pain, greater mobility and increased communication for these kids, and in some cases we can delay or completely avoid the need for corrective surgery,” said Dr. Sean Murray, a pediatrician and the medical director of the hospital's family and child program.

“This clinic is vital to their quality of life and we couldn’t offer the clinic to the extent we do were it not for the support of the Shriners in Sudbury and Toronto.”