Free Orthopedic Screening for Kids Offered Next Week

By Jeremy Coumbes on May 4, 2021 at 11:25am

An area fraternal organization is holding a free orthopedic screening this month for children.

The Rasna Shrine Club of the Ansar Shriners is sponsoring the free clinic for anyone who suspects their child may have an orthopedic condition.

Chairman of the Ansar Off-Premise Clinic Committee Tony Moore of Jacksonville says the clinic is for any child from infant to age 18 that may have any kind of bone, muscle, or joint problems.

There will be a health professional at the clinic to do the evaluation. Basically, they will check for finger or hand problems, club feet, hip or knee problems, limb length discrepancies, scoliosis, bowed legs, sore or painful joints curved spine, pretty much anything in general in that aspect of it”

The clinic will be held on Saturday, May 15th from 10 am to noon at the White Hall Masonic Lodge No. 80 located on highway 67 just north of White Hall.

Moore says the Razna Shrine Club held a clinic in Jacksonville approximately two and a half years ago where they saw 15 children and we were able to help 11 with referrals to the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis.

He says the club, which covers Morgan, Greene, and Scott counties, had planned to hold a clinic last year, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to be canceled.

Moore says his love for the event and the St. Louis Shriners Hospital is rooted close to home. “I take it to heart because my oldest son Brock who’s 28 now, was treated by Shriners Hospital from age five to 21. I know what it did for our family. It’s one of the best places to get treated by, I mean, I can’t speak highly enough about it.”

Moore says there is no cost to attend the screening clinic, and the process is pretty simple. “We have paperwork the parent or guardian will need to fill out with information on the primary doctor and things like that. If we do see an issue we will forward it to the head nurse at the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis. She will reach out and make contact to those that have something that we think we can help with. They will be contacted either way on if we can help them or not.

That way if they do then they will go ahead and schedule an appointment with whoever or whatever area of the hospital that is needed. One thing that a lot of people don’t know is that if they don’t have transportation down to the hospital, we have guys that will transport you and your child to your appointment at no charge. It’s just another way we can make sure we are helping out a kid.”

Moore says there is no cost however recent changes in Illinois law require attendees who have insurance need to bring their insurance card to the clinic. No appointment is necessary, however, anyone with questions can contact Tony Moore at 217-720-9484 for more information.

Again the free orthopedic screening clinic will be held from 10 am to noon on Saturday, May 15th at the White Hall Masonic Lodge on Route 67.