This update from President/CEO Robert L. Walker was previously published in Rite Up, 2021 – Issue 2.
One hundred years ago, the Texas Masons and W. B. Carrell, M.D., created a place like no other. The Scottish Rite for Children’s mission has never wavered, and throughout the years, each staff member, volunteer, trustee, friend, and donor has focused on how we can improve the lives of the children we serve locally and around the world.
A milestone year, like our centennial, brings countless moments of celebration and joy, as well as a time for reflection and appreciation for where we have been. We can only imagine the obstacles facing a new hospital founded in the early 1920s in the midst of a polio epidemic. Orthopedics was in its infancy, and polio brought unprecedented challenges, experimental treatments, and feelings of fear and panic into the community. Just as COVID-19 has greatly impacted our lives, polio caused devastating and momentous changes a century earlier.
Thinking about our recent experiences and considering what our predecessors must have gone through, I’m filled with pride, realizing our triumphs. Led by the medical staff and clinical teams, patients continued to receive care in spite of the pandemic. Everyone did what was necessary to create a safe environment for all patients and staff.
Throughout the years, we have been reminded of all the tireless care given, adversities overcome, and accomplishments achieved — it is a legacy of incredible magnitude. More than 325,000 children have experienced the life-changing care of Scottish Rite for Children. Our experts continue to lead the way with exceptional treatments, world-class education, and groundbreaking research, impacting children around the world.
Although our centennial year is different from what we originally planned, it is clear that our one-of-a-kind institution has a commitment that has endured the test of time and will continue to do so. We are all proud of our achievements and grateful to contribute to that unshakable mission for another 100 years.
Find out more about the Boundless Centennial Campaign.
