By Matthew Daldalian
The exterior of Shriners Hospitals for Children, which is celebrating 100 years of care in 2025. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)
The Shriners Hospital for Children marked its 100th anniversary with an open-house event that brought families inside treatment areas, activity rooms and research spaces rarely seen by the public.
The pediatric orthopedic hospital, which moved to its current site near the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in 2015, now treats patients from across Canada and abroad.
For visitors
Visitors arrived throughout the afternoon for guided tours, demonstrations and children’s workshops. Displays highlighted a century of clinical development, including the hospital’s role in treating rare bone disorders and in advancing mobility care.
Among those in attendance was nine-year-old Lucas Paul Gurunlian, who receives treatment at the hospital. He spoke about some of the activities that have helped him during long recovery periods. “When I broke my ribs here, they did like special stuff with arts and crafts,” he said.
Patient Lucas Paul Gurunlian smiles in the lobby of Shriners Hospital as the hospital celebrates its centennial. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)
Gurunlian recalled one memory that stood out from his visits. “They would watch a movie with popcorn, and I get to meet Santa Claus […] but on the TV because it was during COVID,” he said.
Staff
Shriners staff positioned the centennial as both a celebration and a statement about the hospital’s place in pediatric research.
Acting hospital administrator Kelly Thorstad said the milestone reflects years of development in treatment methods and patient support. She said the open house was meant to highlight “100 years of hope, innovation and healing,” and to show families how patient care and research work together.
Thorstad emphasized that advancements made within the hospital have shaped care across the country. She pointed to the creation of treatment protocols for osteogenesis imperfecta as a milestone that established Shriners as a leader in rare bone disease treatment.
Acting hospital administrator Kelly Thorstad, pictured during the 100th anniversary celebrations at Shriners Hospitals for Children. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)
The hospital’s open house included science demonstrations, activity rooms for children, and presentations from clinical leaders.
Staff said showing families how care is delivered day-to-day helps the hospital build transparency and trust. Information tables guided visitors through physical therapy tools, surgical approaches and child-life support practices.
Nursing leadership also pointed to the role of technology in shaping recovery for young patients. Assistant head nurse Vanessa D’aquila said access to resources and updated equipment has let staff adapt best-practice guidelines into local care. “There’s so many generous donors that provide us with the resources to grasp that new technology and the new way of doing things,” she said.
Nurse Vanessa D’Aquila stands in a patient room at the Shriners Hospital Montreal facility during its 100th anniversary year. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)
D’Aquila described spinal surgery recovery as one example where interdisciplinary coordination affects patient outcomes.
Mobilization sometimes begins within hours of waking from major procedures. She said seeing patients return after recovery remains a constant reminder of why long-term rehabilitation work matters.
“Seeing how they recover over the days that follow in the hospital, then coming back to visit us, is one of the most rewarding views that we could have,” D’Aquila said.
Research teams continue to evaluate virtual-reality distraction tools to manage pain during certain treatments. Staff said the method has reduced reliance on medication in some cases, though use varies depending on procedure and age.
D’aquila said VR is used in multiple areas of the hospital. It gives patients a way to stay focused on something other than discomfort while remaining engaged with staff when needed.
Significance
Shriners Hospital performed more than 1,500 surgeries last year and continues to treat children from about 20 countries.
The centennial event aimed to highlight that reach while positioning the hospital as a continuing research hub in Quebec and Canada.
The hospital’s leadership noted that the goal now is to maintain progress while holding to the mandate first set a century ago: specialized pediatric orthopedic care for children, regardless of background or financial status.
The anniversary marked a moment of reflection for staff, researchers and families whose lives have intersected with the institution. For Gurunlian, the milestone is measured through small victories inside treatment rooms and activity halls.
