Patient Programs at Shriners Children's Northern California

Our Care Extends Beyond Our Walls

At Shriners Children's Northern California, our team is committed to caring for the overall health and well-being of our patients. This includes their minds as well as their bodies. In that spirit, we offer a wide variety of programs and camps.

Our extensive patient programs give children the opportunity to participate in enjoyable activities to brighten their stay and in camps that can help them return to their communities more active and confident.

Shriners Children's partners with a number of community organizations to provide opportunities for children to explore and grow their overall potential inside and outside of the hospital. Your nurse or care coordinator can direct you to opportunities in the community.

Camps

Camp Winning Hands

Camp Winning Hands is an overnight camping experience that provides children and teens with congenital hand differences an opportunity to play and explore in a safe environment. Children and teens from 7 to 17 with congenital hand differences may apply to participate.

Shriners Children's Northern California partners with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital to organize these camp activities. It is separate from our care plan but encouraged.

Camp Wamp

Camp Wamp’s mission is to provide life-changing experiences to children with physical disabilities. We welcome children with a wide-range of conditions including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, poliomyeltis, stroke acquired brain and spinal injuries, spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophies, arthritis, genetic disorders, development coordination disorder, blindness, deafness and amputations. All camp sessions are for kids ages 10 to 18 and offer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) experiences.

Camp Wamp is separate from care but supported by Shriner's Children's.

Firefighters Kids Camp

Firefighters Kids Camp is held annually for young burn survivors ages 6 (who have completed first grade) to 17. Campers enjoy traditional camp activities such as swimming, hiking and arts and crafts in an environment where they feel accepted as they are.

The camp is separate from our care but is supported by burn care professionals from Shriners Children's Northern California who volunteer their time and expertise. The camp is presented by the Firefighters Burn Institute and takes place at Camp Arroyo in Livermore, California, which is supported by the Taylor Family Foundation.

Little Heroes Preschool Burn Camp

Little Heroes Preschool Burn Camp is a three-day burn recovery program designed for preschool burn survivors, ages 3 to 6, and their families. It's designed to help young children and their families understand and cope with the physical and emotional challenges that come with burn recovery.

The camp is separate from our care but is supported by burn care professionals from Shriners Children's Northern California who volunteer their time and expertise. The camp is presented by the Firefighters Burn Institute and takes place at Camp Arroyo in Livermore, California, which is supported by the Taylor Family Foundation.

Young Adult Summit by Alison Ann Ranch Burn Foundation (AARBF)

The Young Adult Summit empowers and encourages burn survivors ages 16 to 20. This weekend camp is designed to address issues and concerns faced by teenagers and young adult burn survivors in a supportive atmosphere. The camp is held at Ocean Pines in Cambria, California.

BikeFit

Riding a bike is a simple pleasure of childhood that we want to share with as many children as possible. We host BikeFit on our campus each summer and outfit approximately 20 patients with customized, adaptive bicycles that meet their specific physical needs. Patients are accepted based on their ability to ride an adaptive bike, their families’ ability to store and use the bike, and each patient’s physical therapy needs. BikeFit participants are patients of Shriners Children's Northern California who are typically between ages 5 and 16.

Gum Activity Pavilion (GAP)

Play is more than just fun for children – it's essential for healthy brain development. That's why we make play a part of every child’s daily routine. Structured and unstructured activities take place in the hospital’s Gum Activity Pavilion, which is a central activity area for kids. Therapeutic recreation and child life specialists and activities coordinators supervise activities that include everything from cards and video games to special performances by the Sacramento Ballet.

Therapeutic Recreation and Child Life

Therapeutic recreation and child life specialists come together in the Gum Activity Pavilion to facilitate structured and unstructured play each day. To learn more, read about our Therapeutic Recreation & Child Life program or email our Shriners Children's Northern California Therapeutic Recreation Child Life Department at mohara@shrinenet.org.

On-site Public School

Learning never stops. Children keep up with their schoolwork through a joint project of Shriners Children’s Northern California and the Sacramento City Unified School District. Located on-site, the school provides bilingual education for preschoolers through 12th graders. Special programs include vocational education and school re-entry programs.

School Re-entry Program

A child might return to school with scars, a prosthetic arm or leg, or a wheelchair, but they’re still the same inside. This program educates teachers, classmates and other individuals about the child’s injury or condition and how they can support the child in their transition back to school.

Pet Therapy

Dogs, cats and rabbits registered as Shriners Children’s pet therapy volunteers provide comfort and affection. Contact Volunteer Services to see if there are furry friends in the hospital today ready to pay a visit. Learn more about our Pet Therapy Program.

Service Dogs

To give patients the opportunity for independence, we have a professional partnership with a service dog training program. Appropriate candidates, usually patients with paralysis, are referred to the program to be matched with an assistance dog. The process involves coordinated training, which takes place at a designated training area and in the community.

Team BRIGHT

Shriners Children's has teamed up with the Firefighters Burn Institute to form Team BRIGHT, a program that organizes exciting monthly group outings such as ice-skating, bowling, visiting a zoo or museum, baseball games, cooking classes, rock climbing and yoga. These trips are for children ages 6 to 21 who are burn survivors. Participants do not need to be Shriners Children's Northern California patients, but they must be burn survivors.

World Burn Congress

World Burn Congress is an annual international meeting of burn survivors of all ages sponsored by the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. The program provides support for burn survivors, loved ones, first responders and burn support professionals. Get details on the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors site.

Shriners Children's Northern California offers a wide variety of programs and services that cater to the overall health and well-being of our patients and their families. View all patient programs and services offered by Shriners Children's.