East West Shrine Game and Shriners Hospital for Children…a good thing!
A football game and a hospital. A good thing? Yes! 
By: Kristin Monasmith
Director of Public Relations -- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Spokane
Every summer since 1947, the “best of the best” in Montana high school football have come together to play in the Montana East West All-star Football Shrine Game to support Shriners Hospitals for Children - Spokane.
68 years of Montana communities coming together for an amazing cause. 68 years of great Montana football. 68 years ago… the football game founders had no idea the game they started would turn out to be the longest continuous Shrine game in the U.S and one of the oldest high school all-star football games in the United States.
The three Shriner Temples from Montana; Algeria in Helena, Bagdad in Butte and Al Bedoo in Billings work together to organize this amazing event to support Shriners Hospitals for Children – Spokane. All told, the game has raised more than $1,000,000 for the Spokane Shriners Hospital. In 2013 the Montana Shrine Game raised $146,000, the top donation from a Shrine Football Game in the United States to date.
Each year, Montana high schools’ finest players are selected to compete in a game not only to raise money, but to also help raise awareness of the expert pediatric orthopaedic care at the Shriners Hospital in Spokane, Washington.
The Spokane Shriners Hospital hit a milestone in 2014, celebrating its 90th year! For 90 years, Shriners Hospitals for Children ― Spokane has been providing expert orthopaedic care to kids from birth to age eighteen regardless of their ability to pay.
The Spokane Shriners Hospital treats conditions ranging from serious orthopaedic issues requiring extended care and multiple surgeries, to simple fractures and sports injuries easily corrected through same-day surgery. In addition, what some people may not know is that patients also receive physical rehabilitation, radiology, lab services and casting all within the hospital.
In order to provide the best in orthopaedic care for the kids in our region, the hospital’s medical staff includes four fellowship trained pediatric orthopaedic surgeons, a pediatric hospitalist and four orthopaedic physician assistants and five anesthesiologists, all experienced in pediatrics.
“When your child has an orthopaedic concern, what is most important is finding an expert who understands the needs of growing bones and joints,” says Dr. Bryan Tompkins, one of Shriners Hospital Spokane’s four pediatric orthopaedic surgeons.
What We Treat:
- Scoliosis
- Knee & hip disorders and injuries
- Foot & hand injuries/deformities
- Shoulder injuries
- Sports injuries
- Club foot
- Limb discrepancy/limb loss
- Fractures/dislocations (stable)
- Prosthetics & orthotics
- Cerebral Palsy
- Rehabilitation/therapy
- Gait Analysis Lab
“Shriners Hospitals for Children - Spokane has been treating kids with orthopaedic conditions for ninety years and we are definitely poised for the next ninety,” said Peter Brewer, Shriners Hospital Spokane Administrator. “We certainly could not do this without the support of our Shriners, communities and friends through events like the Montana East West Shrine Game, we are grateful for the support.”
The hospital treats kids from all over the state of Montana. Kids like Megan, who had spine surgery and went on to win a high school state title in the high jump… or Ryan, who couldn’t walk without pain for years, came to the Spokane Hospital, had surgery and will be attending college this Fall… or kids like this year’s Game Ambassador Addison (above) who runs, jumps and plays just like any other little six year old.
Getting kids back to being kids, that’s what the hospital is all about.
Access to care at the Spokane Shriners Hospital has never been easier. The hospital accepts most major insurance networks. But, whether or not a family has insurance has never been a factor, acceptance for care is based only on medical need.
Do you know a child we can help? If you would like more information or to would like to request an appointment, please call toll free: (888) 895-5951 or visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/spokane.
If you would like more information about the 2014 Montana East West Shrine Game and the event activities, please visit www.montanaeastwestshrinegame.org.