SHCMAQualityReport2020

meet CRISTIAN

Cristian was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. In his first two weeks of life, Cristian had two surgeries. He went on to have nearly a dozen more. Cristian faced several of the same challenges that many other patients with spina bifida do, including gastro-intestinal system and balance issues, as well as complications from various surgeries. For several years, his family had difficulty finding doctors who understood how to best help Cristian. That all changed one day in 2012, when Cristian met a Shriner who referred him to Shriners Hospitals for Children. Cristian was 13 when he had the surgery that he says changed his life and gave him hope, at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Los Angeles (now Shriners for Children Medical Center in Pasadena, California). Devoted to his schoolwork, seminary studies, a part-time job and playing the cello, Cristian has also been active in supporting Shriners Hospitals for Children. He even dedicated his Eagle Scout project to the cause, raising funds to present more than 200 BuildA-Bear toys to our Pasadena medical center. He finds inspiration in the other patients he encounters. “I have been very inspired by many other kids I have met. Most of the people I look up to and admire are the kids I have met through Shriners,” he said.

Cristian enjoyed his responsibilities as a National Patient Ambassador for the 2019-2020 year. “I know that I am who I am because of the Shriners,” he said. “I have been able to see that I can do whatever I want, and I can overcome any obstacle that I face. I want to give back to them because of that – because of the life that they’ve given me. Through Shriners Hospitals for Children and the national ambassadorship that I’ve been given, I hope to share a message of positivity and hope to all those who need it.”

“ I know that I am who I am because of the Shriners. "

| THE MOST AMAZING CARE 8