London Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada (SHC Canada) have announced a unique affiliation agreement to enhance care, research and education. Patients and families in southwestern Ontario will now have access to specialized pediatric orthopedic care closer to home, as Shriners Hospital Canada continues to manage rare and complex cases while improving access. This affiliation also focuses on advancing pediatric research, improving clinical care and training the next generation of physicians, clinicians and researchers.

“SickKids Hospital in London and Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada already work together through informal clinical collaborations and patient referrals, but today we are thrilled to announce a formal affiliation agreement that will have a much greater impact,” said Nash Syed, Vice President, Children’s Hospital and Women’s Program at London Health Sciences Centre. “This is an exciting opportunity to create something unique and special for the patients we serve and their families, as well as the staff, physicians, researchers and students who play a vital role in delivering this care.”

“This affiliation is a dream come true, developed in a true spirit of collaboration to improve pediatric orthopedic care in Canada. It will not only improve the lives of patients and their families, but also advance research and teaching,” said Jacques Boissonneault, CEO of Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada. “This affiliation has allowed us to create an exceptional framework that paves the way for other collaborative projects of this type in Quebec and across Canada.”

The first of its kind in Canada, the affiliation is based on three fundamental pillars: clinical care, research and teaching.

• Clinical Care: A new monthly, highly specialized clinic at SickKids in London, called the Shriners Rare Bone Disease Clinic, will provide treatment for children with complex bone disorders, such as osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) and limb abnormalities. This clinic will allow patients and families in southwestern Ontario who have previously had to travel hours to SickKids in Montreal to receive some of their care at SickKids in London. This will make it much easier for patients and their families to manage these complex disorders. In addition, it is anticipated that starting next year, SickKids in London will work with SickKids in London to expand the program to the entire LHSC catchment area, meaning SickKids in London specialists will provide care in outreach clinics within regional hospitals in southwestern Ontario twice a year.
• Research : This fall, scientific teams from both hospitals will meet for a joint quarterly conference to discuss ongoing research developments and future collaborative projects. In addition, a research grant will be awarded through a nomination process to support innovative projects involving researchers from both hospitals. Proposed projects should demonstrate potential for improving the treatment of pediatric bone diseases.
• Teaching : Joint training meetings are already underway each quarter, providing an opportunity for orthopedic surgeons, including medical students, residents and fellows, to present, discuss and find solutions to complex cases. Beginning in the summer of 2025, the two hospitals will offer a two-year joint fellowship, which will provide the fellow with invaluable experience at SickKids Hospital in London providing orthopedic trauma care, as well as experience at HSE Canada in Montreal providing specialized orthopedic care for complex and rare bone diseases.The affiliation is funded by a five-year, $1.5 million grant through Shriners Children's, which will be administered by the Children's Health Foundation of London and the Canadian Shriners Hospital Philanthropy Office and will be shared between the two hospitals to enhance clinical care, research and teaching.

Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada B-roll: https://vimeo.com/1004192680?share=copy

B-roll from London Health Sciences Centre Children's Hospital: https://youtu.be/KhTbDSfGDHM

About London Children's Hospital London Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre

Located in London, Ontario, London Children 's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre serves a population of 1.5 million, including more than 400,000 children from birth to 18 years of age in southwestern Ontario. Celebrating 100 years of quality care in 2022, it is one of four acute tertiary pediatric hospitals in the province of Ontario. From life-saving liver and intestinal transplants to advanced oncology and infectious disease programs, trauma and critical care, London Children's Hospital provides world-class pediatric care and has been responsible for many medical firsts. Children's Hospital is proud to work with partners across the pediatric health system to advance and optimize pediatric care in the community, region, province and globally. Children's Hospital staff and physicians are committed to providing patient- and family-centred care, supporting families and advancing medical advances through education and research.

About Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada

Founded in Montreal in 1925, Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada is a bilingual hospital that provides acute, highly specialized orthopedic care to children in Canada and around the world. The hospital’s mission is to provide treatment and rehabilitation to infants, children and young adults with orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions such as scoliosis, osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease), clubfoot, hip dysplasia, leg length discrepancy and cerebral palsy, among others. The hospital is dedicated to excellence and innovation in clinical practice, research and education. Affiliated with McGill University, the hospital provides clinical experience and teaching to residents and health care professionals in its exceptional new facility on the Glen site. The hospital is present in communities across Canada through telemedicine, outreach and satellite clinics.

For media inquiries, please contact :

Children’s Hospital - London Health Sciences Centre 
Celine Zadorsky
Consultante senior, Relations médias
1.226.927.2309
Celine.Zadorsky@lhsc.on.ca

Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada
Caroline Phaneuf
Caroline Phaneuf Communications
1.514.778.5092
caroline@carolinephaneuf.com





Source: globenewswire.com

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