Our
Story
Our History
Shriners Fraternity
The history of Shriners International originates back in 1872 when a group of men came together in the spirit of fun, fellowship, and a shared desire to making the world a better place. As polio ravaged the United States, in 1919, Imperial Potentate Freeland Kendrick proposed establishing a hospital to provide free medical care for keiki with orthopedic conditions.
Thus began a system of care grounded in research, committed to providing educational opportunities for physicians and other healthcare professionals, and, most importantly, dedicated to improving the lives of keiki with bone, joint and muscle conditions regardless of a family’s ability to pay. King David Kalākaua was a Brother Mason who inspired a worldwide Hawaiian cultural renaissance. Days before his death in 1891, he became a Shriner and is thought to have been the inspiration behind the founding of the Aloha Shriners temple in 1901.
Celebrating a Century of Care
You might know The Shriners as simply the men in red hats, but there’s a fascinating, 150-year history behind those fancy red fezzes. The story begins in 1870, when a group of fellows created an organization to serve their communities and help build a better world.
In Hawaii, only the wealthy had access to medical care, so when Aloha Shriners Potentate James McCandless became Imperial Potentate in 1921, the second Shriners Hospital opened in Honolulu in 1923 as part of the rear wing of a Liliha hospital.
The first patient at Shriners Honolulu was EK, a 13 year old girl from Hawaii Island diagnosed with poliomyelitis affecting both of her legs and feet. After surgery and a two-month stay in the hospital, she continued splinting and bracing after discharge until she no longer required Shriners care six years later. She lived a fulfilling life in Hawaii, with 34 grandchildren, and passed away in 2008 at the age of 99.
The Dowsett Family deeded their estate on Punahou Street to Shriners and their mansion was converted into Honolulu’s first stand-alone Shriners Hospital
A new Shriners Hospitals for Children replaced the Dowsett mansion. Jan Moore vividly recalled her experiences as a patient back then. “When I was nine years old, I had multiple surgeries at Shriners to treat my proximal femoral focal deficiency,” she said. “As challenging as it was to have the surgeries, and being in full body casts or walking to school in braces, I have a lot of fond memories of my time there. I remember they treated Vietnamese children during the war. And when their new operating rooms were being built, my sister would sneak past the construction to visit me – which wasn’t allowed,” she said, with a smile. Today, the gregarious 66 year old credits her childhood experiences in defining her career and lifestyle.
The completion of its Administration building and Family Center.
As Shriners Children’s Hawaii celebrates its 100th year milestone, its mission of caring for more keiki, regardless of their ability to pay, remains constant. From Hawaii to countries across the Pacific Basin, Shriners Children’s Hawaii provides care to a community that spans over 63 million miles. Looking towards the future, Shriners Children’s Hawaii will continue to be at the forefront of medical innovation, research, education and healthcare transformation in order to help keiki and their families live their best lives.
