Imperial Session Tours 2024 Recap

Shriners Children’s Northern California had the incredible opportunity to showcase the hospital in a way it has never seen before. Over 800 Shriners, Ladies and their families from 10 countries and over 80 temples visited during the 2024 Imperial Session. The hospital tours, which took place over the course of four days, gave visitors a behind-the-scenes, hands-on look at what the Northern California hospital does for patients and their families, thanks to their generous donations.

Welcome to Sacramento!

On their way to Sacramento from Reno, Shriners watched a video from Shriners Children’s Northern California Hospital Administrator Kenny Pawlek, which showcased impactful patient videos and heartwarming hospital events, building excitement and anticipation. Visitors were greeted by staff and Patient Ambassador cheerleaders with signs and pom poms.

Upon their arrival at the hospital, Shriners and Ladies filed into the auditorium for a welcome ceremony, complete with a video featuring local Sacramento leaders and high-profile community members. Marketing and Communications Director Kelsey Morgado greeted each group with sincere thanks and went over housekeeping rules, as the visitors would be going into areas of the hospital not normally open to the public.

Shriners and Ladies eagerly placed their potentate and temple pins on a pin board to showcase their presence, which proudly displayed over 50 different temples by the end of the event.

Behind the Scenes

Once in their tour groups, Shriners and Ladies headed into the hospital in one of two tracks over the course of an hour:

• Tour A: Inpatient Rehabilitation, led by directors of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Program, Maya Evans, M.D., and Loren Davidson, M.D.; Cerebral Palsy in the motion analysis center, led by Kaitlyn, MAC engineer; Colorectal & GI in the OR, led by Maheen A. Hassan, M.D.
• Tour B: Burns in an OR recovery room, led by Chief of Burns Tina Palmieri, M.D., Spina Bifida on the research floor, led by Aijun Wang, Ph.D.; Spine & Scoliosis in radiology, led by Chief of Orthopedics Rolando Roberto, M.D.

"Our service line presentations offer a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible work being done at Shriners Children’s Northern California. It’s very rare that we can bring visitors into an operating room or allow them to hold the tools we use to do very complex surgeries. My colleagues and I are honored to share what we do with Shriners. We know we could not do this life-changing work without Shriners’ support,” said Dr. Roberto. “It is an honor to share our passion and expertise with the Shriners community in this immersive way.”

Interactive Outdoor Expo Tent

After the informative hospital tours, attendees were welcomed to an interactive and hands-on outdoor tent where they could engage in a diverse array of immersive experiences, including:

• The Neil Reitman Pediatric Burn Institute booth featured presentations on burn research and outreach, complete with show-and-tell sessions.
• At the Inpatient Rehabilitation (IRU) booth, guests experienced brain injury simulation, gaining valuable insights into the complexities of pediatric brain injuries and the valuable resource that Shriners Children’s Northern California brings to the region.
• Pediatric Orthopedic and Prosthetic Services (POPS) showcased examples of various orthotic and prosthetic devices, providing a glimpse into the innovative solutions offered by Shriners Children’s.
• The hand and upper extremity booth told visitors about Camp Winning Hands, a camp for children with hand and arm differences, alongside demonstrations of 3D hand models and displays of orthotic devices.
• Visitors to the spina bifida booth had the opportunity to interact with bulldogs diagnosed with spina bifida and treated by the CuRe Trial, highlighting advancements in the treatment of this condition.
• At the cerebral palsy station, Assistant Chief of Orthopedics Vedant Kulkarni, M.D., led a demonstration showcasing innovative technology used to develop the HipScreen app.
• The anesthesia booth featured a live demonstration of an ultrasound machine and gave a hands-on presentation about intubation, offering insights into pediatric anesthesia practices.
• Colorectal and gastrointestinal care included discussions on program offerings and collaborations with the tissue regeneration and coagulation laboratory.
• Patient Ambassadors were at each station to share their care journey with each person and pass out pins corresponding to their service line. Over the course of three days, 20 Patient Ambassadors were able to talk individually with hundreds of Shriners.

A Heartfelt ‘Thank You’

"Because of Shriners, our hospital provides exceptional care and support to every child who walks through our doors. It is a privilege to share our passion and expertise in this unique way with the Shriners community,” said Kenny Pawlek, administrator, Shriners Children’s Northern California.