Shriners Children's Hospital: Post Stroke Hope in a Little Girl's Dreams.

Lindsey Wilder: [00:00:00] When she was born, we were actually told she never walked talk or have quality of life. Walked into Shriners, not knowing Shriners at all, and we were welcomed. I actually consider Shriners as part of our family now. They helped her walk. They even took it. They knew she was gonna be in a wedding. She had just started to take a few steps and her therapist knew she was going to be in a wedding as a flower girl, and they created a way to tie her basket to her 'cause she can't use her right hand and was able to throw the pedals.

And she did it in therapy. It was, everyone was crying that day and that has changed her world.

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Here, our purpose and passion are simple to highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our community stronger. Each episode is a chance for these organizations to tell their [00:01:00] story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it matters to the people they serve, to their supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

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This is one of those moments. Today I'm speaking with senior Director of Philanthropy, Alan Anderson, who has spent 18 years helping fuel the mission of Shriners Children's, Northern California, and with Lindsey Wilder and her daughter Ley, whose journey is nothing short of remarkable. Born at 26 weeks surviving a pulmonary hemorrhage, navigating hydrocephalus, and during 25 brain surgeries and later a stroke.

And yet here she is. Smiling, dancing, [00:03:00] running, drumming, and dreaming big. Right alongside her twin sister, Pelly. I'm humbled by her. Shriners didn't just provide the care. They became family. They helped her walk again. They gave her tools to thrive and they continue to open doors for thousands of children facing the most complex medical challenges.

Let's explore what makes Shriners so unique beyond the unwavering commitment to treat children regardless of a family's ability to pay. You'll also hear what unrestricted funding really means for a children's hospital and why it's the quiet engine behind life-changing outcomes like tailies. This is a story of hope, belief, generosity, and the extraordinary things that happen when a community rallies around its kids.

A Anderson, Lindsey Wilder. Welcome to the Oh wait. And Taylor Wilder. Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Thank you. Thank you very much. [00:04:00] Alan, I can't think of a better team to tell the story of Shriners here in Sacramento than the two of you. And you've been with the organization now over 18. 18 years, my friend.

Alan Anderson: 18 years. 

Jeff Holden: It goes fast. Yes, it does. Remember meeting you. Yes. It's uh, it's been quite, quite a journey over that 18 years. Tell us a little bit about what drew you to the organization in the first place, and what keeps you inspired after 18 years? 

Alan Anderson: So there are really two simple answers that are really allied.

What drew me to Shriners Children's was knowing that the money we were raising was actually directly. Paying for the healthcare that was provided children. And then some of that also goes into research. But at the end of the day, we were actually providing healthcare to kids. End of story there. It wasn't a pass throughs, it wasn't academic.

It was literally making a difference in the lives of children who were coming to, to, um, the hospital. And then what, [00:05:00] what's inspires me every day? Children like Kayley. Mm-hmm. Families like the Wilder family. They remind us every day. These are the human stories that are touched by what people choose to do with their generous donations.

Jeff Holden: And Lindsay, tell us what brought you to Shriners, because you're the other part of the story. We have the administration side of it, but you're the recipient side of it 

Lindsey Wilder: at seven years old had. A stroke in the operating room. She has hydrocephalus was in for a shunt revision. The stroke took her whole right side and she was transferred to Shriners for rehab and she started physical therapy and occupational therapy at Shriners.

Not gonna lie, it was hard for her at first, but they kept pushing her and she started walking four months into therapy without shiners. She wouldn't be walking. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. And [00:06:00] now Teli is a twin Topel. Yes. Who happens to be in studio with us as well. Yes. Right? Yes. And tell us a little bit about the orientation, because at birth is where you recognize the problem, correct?

Lindsey Wilder: Yes. The twins were born at 26 weeks, six days way too early. 

Jeff Holden: Which is really early. Yeah, 

Lindsey Wilder: really early. And Teli was Twin Bee. Twine doesn't do as well. Born early. She actually suffered a pulmonary hemorrhage within hours of being born, and at three weeks they discovered she had a massive brain bleed, which caused hydrocephalus.

And so she has a shunt from her ventricle drains into above her stomach. Mm-hmm. Unfortunately, shunts fail often or get infected. She's actually had 25 brain surgeries now, so her journey has been. Crazy and scary, but she is doing amazing. She's talking, [00:07:00] walking, trying to run again, does dance. It's been, she beat all the odds.

Jeff Holden: You are amazing. We're gonna tell a little more is your story in just a little bit too, and I think you're probably gonna give us a few words too, right? 

Taelley Wilder: I dunno about that,

Jeff Holden: Alan. A lot of people think of the Shriners as the guy in the funny little hats riding the go-karts and the mini bikes in a parade. But there's so much more to the organization and. Can you give us a brief history of the hospital here in Sacramento and, and really what it represents? 

Alan Anderson: Absolutely. So the, the funny guys with hats are really why the organization was founded so that that fraternity, the early members wrote all the checks that paid for the, the hospital operations.

Our first hospital in 1923 was the fourth one in the system, Shriners. Funded everything. We moved here in 97 because it was an opportunity to really have build a multidisciplinary hospital capable of so much more in an [00:08:00] affiliation with uc. Davis Shriners continue to be involved, but it really is a community endeavor of we depend on the gener a generous community to make what we do possible.

And when you consider just what you've heard of Taylor's story. We treat kids who have been born either with the most complex conditions or who have suffered some of the most traumatic injuries. And we are able to help not only them think what their future can be, but we help the families also think of that.

We look at these kids as, as so full of possibilities and potential. And that's 'cause the smart people who work at the hospitals have been trained for this. Last year we did, we, we helped 12 more than 12,000 unique kids, which was. Each one of those kids represents a family in a neighborhood. And that's all been made possible by generosity, started by a fraternity who are still involved, but really represents a generous community.

Jeff Holden: And I know there's a perception that it used to be just burn victims initially, but now it is so much [00:09:00] more. It's, it's cp, it's functional movement for children with disabilities in so many different ways. Can you expand on that a little bit? Sure. In terms of the scope of the service that the hospital provides.

Alan Anderson: So I think, and one of the things that happened, so when we moved to Sacramento in 97, we were the first multidisciplinary hospital in the Shrider system. Burns was new to the west coast at the Sacramento location. Mm-hmm. Our history in Sacramento and San Francisco was, we were only orthopedics, so we treated a lot of of kids who had polio.

We also treated kids with all kinds of spine conditions, limb differences. Here in Sacramento, orthopedics has also grown into neuro musculoskeletal conditions. So that can be cerebral palsy, spina bifida, burnt, obviously. Uh, we do cleft lip. We also do reconstructive plastic surgery. And then our spinal cord injury rehab program has now become a full acute inpatient rehab program, which includes kids who've suffered, uh, traumatic brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injuries can be. Brain bleeds. It can also be near drownings. [00:10:00] Anytime there's been an oxygen, uh, depletion or something with the brains and the scope has grown really, not only in response to what the community needs, but what is possible as healthcare advances. There's so much more that we're able to do and we're a part of pushing those thresholds.

Mm-hmm. We're also part of learning at what's needed and learning from others in the field and bringing that to our kids. All over California. 

Jeff Holden: I was just gonna ask, what is the geometry or geography that you cover? 

Alan Anderson: So, most of the patients, ironically come within with a, within 100 miles, which is the really, the population centers for Northern California.

Mm-hmm. But we, we treat kids from throughout the state. 'cause if you have a need and, and we can provide it, we will care for you. Last year we also served kids from 31 American states and US territories. So as far away as Maine, we. Uh, kids from some of the American territories in the Pacific Ocean. And then we do serve international kids as well.

Jeff Holden: And that's because of the exclusive [00:11:00] specialties that you've got at the hospital, correct? Yes. 

Alan Anderson: And typically what it is, is that it's a doctor who knows. We have a doctor who does X and some of the things are so rare. We have a kid who has osteogenesis imperfecta, but he's also one of only 48 kids with another rare condition.

We have a doctor who can treat that so that child is coming to us because we are the place that they're gonna get the care that they really need. 

Jeff Holden: And Lindsay, I know when we were talking earlier, you said that Kaylee has some, she's one of two. 

Lindsey Wilder: Mm-hmm. She had a rare brain infection at 18 months. She's the second kid in the nation.

Not the way we wanted to be published, but she is in the medical journal. She had. Micro, it'll come back to me. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. Oh my. Most of us understand it. Age. Age. So it's about right. I know it's 

Lindsey Wilder: the actual, but yeah, the rare. The rare brain infection. There's 14 adult cases, two children cases now, and the weird part is the other child was [00:12:00] two weeks ahead of Tailie in Texas, no relation, nothing.

So it was Wow. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Hmm. What? Just, what a coincidence, right? 

Lindsey Wilder: Very. They actually, I don't know if you want me Sure. They actually took both their EV vds, which are external ventricular drains. And fingerprinted them to see if it was from the manufacturer. Mm. Just because it was such a rare 

Jeff Holden: thing. Unusual circumstance.

Yes. 

Lindsey Wilder: Yeah. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Amazing. 

Lindsey Wilder: But she's also a little, her hydrocephalus is kind of on the rare side too. 25 brain surgeries at by seven. Mm-hmm. Is quite a bit bit, 

Jeff Holden: yeah. That's just amazing. 

Lindsey Wilder: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And here she's sitting with us today. Mm-hmm. One of the key questions people always wanna know about our featured organization is one of the things that we, you know, emphasize through the studio and the organizations as well, is collaboration.

You are everywhere. Share a little bit what collaboration looks like [00:13:00] from Shriner's perspective. 

Alan Anderson: It's a great question because the collaboration is embedded in our organization in a variety of ways. I, I think one of the fascinating things is our being here in Sacramento started with a collaboration with uc Davis because we, we needed a new place to build a new hospital that was multidisciplinary.

We needed to. More closely aligned with our teaching organiz, our, our teaching partner and the Bay Area candidates just weren't able to accommodate the land sale uc. Davis had the old former, uh, state fairgrounds. They had land, they were willing to sell us the land and they were looking themselves to rise above what had been the county hospital reputation.

Mm-hmm. And so we were able to bring our specialties and we are able to. Focus our specialties in what we do. They're not duplicating us, but we across the street are always working together. Not only do our docs, uh, serve their faculty at the school of medicine, but there are times that we're able to [00:14:00] buy time from their docs to do things that we don't have the expertise for.

Cardiothoracic surgery, for instance. But when you look at, like, for instance, long-term family housing, Ronald McDonald House Charities is on the uc Davis campus. Mm-hmm. They, they dedicate a certain number of rooms for our family so that the kids that can't go home, 'cause they have to be here, but don't need to be in a nursing bed, they've got a home away from home.

The Sacramento Food and Family Services, they also help some of those long-term families, uh, with care and services. Our school room, we are a Sacramento Unified school district classroom in the larger district. So our kids who are enrolled in school are actually going to school, and then within our own system of the hospitals, all of our motion analysis centers, there are 14 in the system of Shriners Children's.

They're all collaborating, so we can build a bigger database to really understand. How motion analysis influences better decision making about cerebral palsy care and ensures better outcomes. So it feels like on a regular basis, we're constantly, we're [00:15:00] looking for other people that can work with us.

Mm-hmm. 'cause it ex extends the knowledge base and it also extends the verification that you're onto something that is really gonna be beneficial for everybody. We're not working, um, in a silo. And then of course, research that goes without saying if, yeah, it may be true in your lab, but. Is it true, say, in the lab in Czechoslovakia?

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. Well, and what a resource you are for the organizations that happen to be here, because you happen to be here and, you know, whether it's spina bifida or if it's, it's UCPI, I mean, I know there's, there's this incredible collaboration with their clientele. 

Alan Anderson: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And you know, I'm, I'm looking at tale and, and hearing impaired.

We have great hearing organizations here, just so many different opportunities to engage. Shriners with the clientele, with other organizations in the community and Ronald McDonald House and, and, um, 

Alan Anderson: you raised a really good point that I, I, I failed to [00:16:00] mention and I should have. Part of our collaboration is solving problems for primary care physicians, pediatricians, and healthcare organizations that don't see this every day.

Mm-hmm. And then where am I going to send, how, how do I help this child get what he or she needs we're. Not just easy access because it's only a medical condition and age of child, that's the consideration, but we're not, you know, specific to a network. So we are able to sort of help healthcare decision making throughout the region and make specialty care available that otherwise, um, people may be reluctant to send or they're not confident.

We can be, we can give a pediatrician confidence that they're gonna get what they need. 

Jeff Holden: Well, and, and another thing is as a children's hospital specifically focused on children sitting amongst what is now Aggie Square. Mm-hmm. With who knew that was gonna be like that 10 years ago, 15 years ago. Now we have one of the biggest research facilities being built right around.

Hospital. 

Alan Anderson: [00:17:00] Yes. So we're looking forward to opportunities to, uh, collaborate on research there. The school of medicine located behind our hospital, um, after we had built, and again, it facilitates one of the most important parts of education for physicians is if you're gonna be a specialist, your introduction is.

The education process. When you're doing rounding, that's what you discover. I don't wanna be just a general md, I wanna focus on hands, or I wanna focus on kids with cerebral palsy or burns. That's excite, that's ignited during the education process. So having that access not only ensures that we, there's always great talent for us, but there's great talent throughout the nation 

Jeff Holden: and one of one here.

Yeah. Which is a, it's just a beautiful thing. What a fortuitous. For somebody who has a child with that necessity for care to have the access, not have to be driving or flying Yeah. To, to access it. It's, it's a drive research, clinical access, changing healthcare [00:18:00] expense, which we know is incredibly dynamic right now.

It all affects budgeting. 

Mm-hmm. 

How is the operation funded? 

Alan Anderson: Great question. So. I'm gonna try to do this in 25 words or less, which is always difficult for me. We are unique as an organization in that we, we operate on a fixed annual budget and we're, we are, are able to basically come up with a fixed annual budget because there's a sort of, not finite number, but there are patterns that we identify in terms of, of, of kids.

And in the, the marketplace that we're in, we're about, we're $112 million organization. Roughly 25 to 30% of that is, is covered by insurance revenue. We, we capture from family. So if they have an insurance plan, we can go to the insurance company and get what they would reimburse. Again, it's not a family obligation, but the insurance that they will pay, so, and I'm so glad you 

Jeff Holden: said that too, 'cause I think a lot of people.

[00:19:00] Just maybe don't engage. 'cause I don't have any insurance. I know. Yes. Do. Whether you do or don't. 

Alan Anderson: Right. Engage insurance is not a decision making criteria, but if you have insurance, it's a help. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Alan Anderson: And then the money that we raise, so my team and philanthropy, we are always trying to get the community as excited about it as we are to make voluntary contributions.

And then estate gifts is another 25 to 30%. Oh wow. And then the rest will come from the endowment fund, which was funded. My Shriners from the twenties on through the sixties, people talk about three-legged stools. It really is a three-legged stool that funds the organization. I will say what's great is the community has been generous.

Insurance has helped safeguard that endowment, and the endowment has, you know, had strong performance. So in my tenure there, we've gone from being 34 million to 112 million. And one of the things that we do recognize you talk about change is that. If there's a retrenchment in pediatric healthcare, there are programs that are closing and so the need for our services is [00:20:00] growing.

Mm-hmm. So we are looking at over the next, over the next year, we are gonna need to respond to what could be a 20% increase in demand for our services, which is, wow, we should do, that's why people give us money. But it is gonna mean that we need to be really assertive about fundraising in the community.

Because again, it's not about us, it's those kids. Without us, they're not gonna get what they need. And so that's why we do the fundraising. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. Lindsay, did you have insurance as well? 

Lindsey Wilder: We have insurance, but I have to say the first phone call I got, the first question wasn't what's your insurance? Where you get everywhere else.

I've never was really asked what our insurance was, to be honest. And we do have a copay, but I've never received a bill. It's, it was an amazing experience, to be honest. We at a different hospital for a different thing. We at one point received a hundred thousand dollars bill 'cause they no longer took our insurance and didn't tell us and they didn't care.

So going to [00:21:00] Shriners, it was eye-opening. Mm-hmm. For us. And quite an experience. 

Jeff Holden: And I think that's important for everybody to hear too, because I've heard the same, you know, RINs accepts. Patient, it's the human first. Mm-hmm. We'll deal with the rest. Secondarily, it's, that's the incremental stuff. That's not the important stuff.

It's getting the patient right first and the family. Right. 

Lindsey Wilder: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And the access that you've got to the Ronald McDonald House mm-hmm. And the ease that all of that can help along. The burden for the families is so, so, so significant. You know, 

Lindsey Wilder: especially in an emergency situation or. That shouldn't be your first question.

It should be what does the child need? 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. Right. 

Lindsey Wilder: And Shriners definitely did that for us. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. That's great to hear. Yeah. Alan, how many people do you employ? 

Alan Anderson: So we are close to 600 people total. 

Jeff Holden: Just here in Sacramento? Just here 

Alan Anderson: in Sacramento. Wow. Uh, and that's because if you're sort talking about a 24 7 facility with, which has a critical care unit, a [00:22:00] PICU unit, plus you've got medical, surgical and then associated with it, you've got sterile processing to make sure surgery's ready the next day.

You've got engineering, you've so. Each, each, each head in bed, if you're gonna use that term, if I use that term, represents, you know, three shifts of people who have to help support that, that child in nursing. So that it, it's a lot of people. But in the building, on any given day, there's about 300 people, you know, on any sort of given shift.

But you have to have people to cover seven days a week, 24 hours a day. And they do everything from, we've got the most amazing environmental services team who keep the place, not just clean, but keep it, you know, infection free. We have engineers who can fix just about anything and are really on the front lines of keeping everything operational and safe.

Uh, and then you've got our front reception. Who are security, and I put, I've been doing my finger quotes, Uhhuh, but they really are the first greeters. So yeah, they're security and they can do what needs to be done to keep the [00:23:00] building safe, but more importantly, they put a big smile on and say, welcome.

Jeff Holden: And I was just gonna say, as a parent of a child who has had care there and continuing care, how is that when you walk in. 

Lindsey Wilder: So it's funny you say that we are friends with two of the security or front desk people. They know us and wave to us. They're always happy to see us, even our first time. Very welcoming.

Alan Anderson: They're the best people in the world. Yeah, they 

Jeff Holden: are. Are the, are the doctors employees? 

Alan Anderson: Yes, they are. Okay. Yes. But so again, not to, this sounds like I'm hedging because we have an affiliation with uc Davis, and based on their practice, some docs are a hundred percent Shriners. Some docs have a split practice between uc, Davis, and Shriners.

And then there are some doctors whose time we buy on a contract basis from, uh, uc, Davis, like the cardiothoracic surgeon. Mm-hmm. Like our burn team covers adults at uc, Davis and kids at, um, oh, I didn't know that. Okay. So they do both sides. We have a, a trauma doc, Dr. Haas, who [00:24:00] has a joint preservation program in our sports medicine program, but he's also the trauma surgeon at uc Davis in the, in the peds.

So. Some of their appointments could be 80 us, 20 of them, 80 of them, 20 us. It really depends. So it's, it's sort of a matrix, but at the end of the day, what they're really focused on is their practice at Shriners. So that's, I think what makes us unique is their specialty. If it's their specialty, it is focused at Shriner Children Northern California.

Jeff Holden: And when you do those reciprocal doctor sharing. Services are those fee for service as well? 

Alan Anderson: Some of them are. Okay, but fee for service mean we we're paying the U for paying uc, Davis Health for the time of the physician. I was saying vice versa too, 

Jeff Holden: and yeah, your doctors go over, they pay you for the, yeah.

Okay. So it does fit into some of that, that fundraising capacity building element. We'll be back to hear more from our very special guests, including Taylor, right after this message from those who make this program possible. [00:25:00] 

Darrell Teat: We are really excited to be part of the family and contribute to the work that you all are doing.

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Jeff Holden: If you're interested in learning more about how CORE may help your organization, visit CXOR e.com. [00:26:00] 

Scott Thomas: Hello, this is Scott Thomas with CAPTRUST in our Sacramento office. I specialize in working with local nonprofits and associations annually. We survey private and public nonprofit organizations across the country to better understand challenges they see in today's environment.

In our more recent survey, we heard concerns about proper board governance, mission aligned investment, and how to implement alternative investments. If you would like a copy of the survey or do discuss your organization, look me up, scottThomas@captrust.com. At Western 

Jeff Holden: Health 

Scott Thomas: Advantage. 

Jeff Holden: Healthcare isn't just a service, it's a shared value.

As a nonprofit leader, you need a health plan that understands the important of mission-driven work. Western Health Advantage is a local not-for-profit health plan that supports organizations like yours with affordable, flexible coverage options for your team. What truly sets them apart is their commitment to community supporting [00:27:00] nonprofits like the American Heart Association, Sacramento Ballet, and the Crocker Art Museums Pay what you wish Sundays with access to top tier providers and dedicated local support.

Western Health advantages more than a health plan. It's a partner in your purpose. Explore your options today@westernhealth.com. Western Health Advantage, healthcare with Heart, designed for those who give back. Looking at the overall funding of the operation and knowing that we have this standalone facility and you, you know, better than anybody in the room, what goes on in the hospital.

If somebody came and said, you know, Alan, we got a blank check. 

Alan Anderson: Oh, I love this question. Yes, I've been thinking about this question. So many people love this question 

Jeff Holden: and it gives potential donors a perspective too. What would it look like? What would it look like if somebody says, this check is for you?

It's blank, but I want to hear what you're gonna do with it, and if I agree you get it, what would it look like? 

Alan Anderson: [00:28:00] So if I, if we got a blank check. Knowing, knowing what we, we just talked about what's happening in pediatric healthcare. Mm-hmm. Knowing that that access is becoming the biggest, uh, issue, particularly for patients who are farther afield, I think it would be great to open unlimited access points throughout the state of California if it, how big Unlimited is, could be across the United States where.

We basically take on those specialties that we do best, freeing up pediatric healthcare and other organizations to focus on other things. In essence, taking the burden off healthcare and allowing Shriners to do in pediatric orthopedics, pediatric burns, cleft, lip cleft palate. Everything families need, wherever they happen to be as close as we can get to them.

And they don't have to worry about the, the finances associated with that. Mm-hmm. And healthcare doesn't have to either, because now they can focus on things that have other resource intensive needs. If, if you are a provider of pediatric cancer care, that is its [00:29:00] own, that is its own heavy burden. If your pediatric heart, I mean, there are other things that kids, um, suffer with.

What a beautiful thing to be able to say. Your blank check has allowed us to basically treat every child that needs us, give us to give them the same easy access. And at the end of the day, what you are doing is giving them unlimited potential in life. Mm-hmm. So it isn't the healthcare, it's the fact that our wraparounds, our wraparound focus, we're focusing on the child, not the condition.

At the end, by the time they graduate from Shriners, they're on a pathway to being who they want to be when they grow up. And that's ultimately what we're all about. 

Jeff Holden: And I think we don't wanna miss that opportunity for our next president, our next governor. 

Alan Anderson: Absolutely Our next, 

Jeff Holden: you name it. 'cause we next 

Alan Anderson: entrepreneur.

We 

Jeff Holden: don't know what these children are capable of. And, and Lindsay, I'm gonna look at you now because this is the opportunity to really share. You have a very, had a very threatening [00:30:00] situation and who, who knew at birth or two years or three years? By seven you said 25 brain surgeries. What tale's future looked like yet?

We're sitting here with Tailie in a studio, recording a podcast with this beautiful young lady with her twin sister in the back and. We're gonna get to talk to you in just a minute. So, Lindsay, how is she doing today? 

Lindsey Wilder: Well, I have to say at first, when this all, when she was born, we were actually told she never walked talk or have quality of life.

So again, look at her now. Mm-hmm. But her stroke was a huge setback. Again, we walked into Shriners not knowing Shriners at all, and we were welcomed. I actually consider Shriners as part of our family now her therapist. Again, they, they helped her walk. They even took it. They knew she was gonna be in a wedding.

She had just started to take a [00:31:00] few steps and her therapist knew she was going to be in a wedding, or we call her auntie wedding as a flower girl and they created a way to tie her basket to her 'cause she can't use her right hand and was able to throw the petals and she did it in therapy. It was, everyone was crying that day.

But after therapy. Her foot was curved and she actually just recently in March, had surgery. 

Jeff Holden: That's only since March. Mm-hmm. Oh my goodness. I never would've known. 

Lindsey Wilder: Yeah. So in March she, you're gonna be 

Jeff Holden: running track, aren't you? 

Lindsey Wilder: She actually is in track and field in the Special Olympics, yes. How awesome. She loves it.

But Ellen, you mentioned the motion analysis. Clinic or lab. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Lindsey Wilder: We had no clue about it until Shriners. There was a doctor in the past before we went to Shriners. They're like, oh, we'll just go in and do surgery, but you don't know what's wrong. So we were able to take advantage of the motion analysis lab.[00:32:00] 

And they knew exactly what they were going in to do to fix and help her. They even did one more study right before surgery just to double check everything, and they added a couple more things to her surgery. The stroke, I think I said curved her foot. Mm-hmm. So now her foot is flat. She can walk without twisting her ankle, without the brace as well.

And Dr. Karney also told her, next, we're gonna work on her hand at possibly getting some motion back. And that has changed her world. She's so happy about it. And she ask every day, when are we gonna go see him? 

Jeff Holden: Most children don't want to ask when they're gonna go see their doctor. I know, right? 

Lindsey Wilder: Oh, she loves him.

But he gave her her life back. Yeah. Truly. Um, she's starting to run again without twisting an ankle, which is amazing. Then we're excited to see what he's gonna do next for her and her hand. 

Jeff Holden: So Teli, so [00:33:00] how, how do you feel about Shriner's Hospital? 

Taelley Wilder: It's been like amazing on it. I've been like pretty good, pretty good.

And then. I don't know what to say. Anything. Now, 

Jeff Holden: how do you like your doctor? 

Taelley Wilder: Yeah, yeah, he's good. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And, and what grade are you in now? 

Taelley Wilder: Fifth. 

Jeff Holden: Awesome. Wow. So you are a fifth grader? 

Taelley Wilder: Yeah, 10. 10 years old sister back here is fifth grader two. Wow. 

Jeff Holden: Awesome. That's great. 

Taelley Wilder: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And so what are you looking forward to?

Pretty soon? Don't you have something that you're gonna be doing? Like a little vacation. 

Taelley Wilder: Yeah. Me and my family, not my dad's, because he's not a good traveler at all.[00:34:00] 

Funny, funny. We are going to The Bahamas. It it's gonna be so much fun. Fun. 

Jeff Holden: Good for you. Just make sure you wear a lot of sunblock. 

Taelley Wilder: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Okay, Alan, now that we look at the conversation we just had from a standpoint of a. That great big check. Mm-hmm. What's the greatest need? 

Alan Anderson: Greatest need for us? Um, right now and always is general operations funding.

It's the funding that scares a lot of people because they feel like it goes into quote unquote, a black hole, or they worry about administrative overhead and costs. And the only way that I can explain it is that when you're talking about healthcare for kids, you're talking about Dr. Cole County, you're talking about the motion analysis center.

Everything we do comes out of one budget. We are a single budget organization. We've got cost centers, certainly. Mm-hmm. [00:35:00] But when someone gives us a hundred dollars. Basically $85 of that a hundred, a hundred dollars goes directly into patient care related direct support. And the overhead figures that are I part of that include things like access where we're advertising to make families comfortable with the fact that they've been referred to Shriners.

So overhead isn't always overhead the way people think about it. Mm-hmm. So that gift. If you, if you looked at, at the average burn cost us $180,000, um, that's a, an average burn. It's like 10 to $40,000 depending on the condition for a child in the ICU. But a gift of $15 can cover a family's meal who needs the meal while they're, they're with their child.

So whatever people can give, it's actually gonna go to something remarkable because it's going to. A future of hope for a child. And like I said, general operations tends to make people squeamish. '

Jeff Holden: cause those are the unrestricted funds. Unrestrict, I'm not quite sure what you're gonna [00:36:00] do with them. How are 

Alan Anderson: you really doing that?

Right. Um, you know, and we don't have, it's, our doctors don't make as much as they would in private, but they, you know, they, they, we have to pay them well. Mm-hmm. But they're, they are dedicated 120% of what they're doing for kids. So they're worth every penny. We don't have otherwise super high paid people.

The reality is it goes into providing a scope of care that you don't find in other places, and that's really the unrestricted dollars allow us to say, we can make sure that there's a. A therapeutic recreation specialist who's attending to every child, every physician will have a nurse practitioner. We can give them prosthetics if they need it.

We can give them orthotic, braces, whatever that child needs they're gonna get. And that's what the benefit is of those unrestricted dollars. Mm-hmm. If people are interested in restricted donations, those are possible. But really, you know, we're tasked this year with, we wanna be raising close to $9 million in.

Unrestricted dollars that will go directly into what we're doing for kids. So it's hard. It's a hard [00:37:00] message. Yeah, 

Jeff Holden: and and especially when you think, if you can't see it, if you don't understand it, if you think it's just going to an administration piece, that's so far from the truth. Especially when you talk about prosthetics.

There's families that can't afford that. The insurance doesn't cover it, but that child could be fully mobile or fully functional. If they had the ability to just get that prosthetic piece, whatever it may be, 

Alan Anderson: and that's the magic of Shriners. We had a special visit yesterday from a prospective donor, and I used the word magic.

I said, I probably shouldn't use that word. She goes, I love that word. What's great is we can give you a prosthetic limb, but we're not giving you a prosthetic limb. We're asking you first, what is it you want to do? So if you wanna run, if you wanna play the violin. Mm-hmm. If you want to swim, play softball.

So. Again, everything is focused on what is the, what is the child capable of? What is it they want to do long term? Where do we think they're gonna go? So you're funding the ability to be as flexible as possible to meet what that kid [00:38:00] needs, where they're at now, and where they want to be in the future. And so that's the benefit to the unrestricted dollars.

And I think, you know, generally speaking, whether you're supporting our organization or not, I want, you know, all of your listeners and anyone. Become comfortable with Charity Navigator, check out charities because unrestricted dollars are great for all charitable organizations. Mm-hmm. Because so often the things that come in with restrictions mean there are things you can't do, but you know, you would love to be able to do, but you can't because of those, those boundaries.

And I'm not saying restricted gifts are bad, but begin to fall in love with what is capable for organizations across this country if they get unrestricted dollars. Mm-hmm. And 

Jeff Holden: we do hear that frequently because. You can't run the organization without that unrestricted piece. You can't, if 

Alan Anderson: you have a new idea, you only fund new ideas with unrestricted dollars.

Jeff Holden: Correct. 

Alan Anderson: And your, the expectation should be that nonprofit is, it's a new idea that's gonna build the capacity or better serve who it is you're gonna do. 'cause everything that you say we're gonna do now, I mean, [00:39:00] there's like kids now with burns. Would not have, would not have survived in times before unrestricted dollars that help fund research made that possible.

Now, kids with 90% burns are, are surviving technology changes. We may need to tweak things in the building that we need unrestricted dollars to be able to do. So that's, that's our biggest challenge and helping and you can help us with that. Make that sexy. Help people understand unrestricted dollars does not mean play money, it just means 

Jeff Holden: correct.

Correct. 

Alan Anderson: It means 

Jeff Holden: mission, money, function. It's functional money. Yes. And it allows children not unlike Kayley, to grow with capability comes confidence. So now they're into the school system and they're functioning as every other child would. Because they aren't seen as something uniquely different. They are still very unique children, but they can do things that other kids can do, and that's an acceptance, you know, it, it, regardless of the level, it still gives 'em that [00:40:00] confidence as they continue to grow and get older.

And, and Lindsay, I'm, I'm looking at you because. Is you're gonna see this, you've seen it over the course of the last three years for sure. As her surgeries have settled down a bit. What, what do you see for Tely and, and what does Tely wanna do? 

Lindsey Wilder: So I, right now actually, she is dancing again. She's in two dance classes.

She was not able to do that before Shriners. She does a solo as well. She's also a one-handed drummer. She does track and field in the Special Olympics. She does bocce. She's got quite an arm. She actually wants to ultimately be a police officer. That is her dream. Wow. She, yeah, and the police have been great bringing her into the station and showing her things, but she wants to keep up with her sisters.

That's the biggest thing. Shriners actually had a bike fit program. Teli was invited to participate in it. We used to not let [00:41:00] let our kids ride bikes. We felt bad, but she couldn't do it. Mm-hmm. With Shriners, we can ride bikes now. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, that's amazing. 

Lindsey Wilder: Yeah. So that changed her world stuff. The small things you don't think about she's able to do now 

Jeff Holden: that every kid does.

Exactly. And gets to experience. 

Lindsey Wilder: My kids can ride bikes now. 

Alan Anderson: Yeah, 

Lindsey Wilder: yeah, yeah. 'cause she was given the opportunity. 

Alan Anderson: And those are the stories that always get me to where a parent tells you that their child was astonished after their surgery and they looked down in the bed and they saw their feet for the first time laying down because before the surgery it was so cramped up, they couldn't see going upstairs one step at a time, being able to drive.

I mean, it sounds sort of. Sort of small, but it's huge. Mm-hmm. Because before that they, it took extra effort to do everything, and that's taken away the fact that with our plastic surgeons, the young ladies and young gentlemen, but young ladies particularly can choose the, the, the, [00:42:00] the order of their plastic surgery and can really address.

You know, the shape of the lips, the shape of the eyes, if there's been facial scarring. The fact that our pros, our, our orthotist will build burn garments that look almost like sports bras and, and sports shorts. So that young lady's changing in a locker room, don't look like they're wearing a burn garment.

It looks like they're just wearing something that's kind of trendy and they'll sometimes do the school of colors. These are the sorts of things that help kids. Be the kids. They don't feel like they're the outsiders in their communities. And to your point earlier, it build gives them the confidence then to continue to strive forward and do things.

Jeff Holden: And back to a little bit of the prior conversation, some of that stuff's coming from unrestricted funds. It is. Exactly. It's not coming because it was, you know, restricted donation. Yes. You can't do that otherwise. Yes. And that's amazing. I had no idea that to the extent of, you know, garments for burns and, and helping somebody feel.

Normal in it, as opposed to, oh, I've got [00:43:00] this strange contraption that I have to wear. 

Mm-hmm. 

You know, and even looking at the brace that's on tail's leg. 

Lindsey Wilder: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Who would know? It's 

Lindsey Wilder: all custom as well. And they make changes every time right then and there. Yeah. For her even like to comfort, she, you know, every, every kid's different.

Yep. So she has special, specialized padding just for her. 

Alan Anderson: So I was in, in the motion, uh, analysis lab yesterday, but I was also in pops and they were showing a brace 

Jeff Holden: and pops is, 

Alan Anderson: is our, our, sorry, our prosthetics and orthotics, our pediatric ortho orthotics and prosthetics services. Very good. Thank you.

Sorry. Terrible. In healthcare, we just throw out these Yes slogans, but, um, they were building a brace. There's a child who is in the process of, of working through spina bifida and one of the issues they have right now while they're working on rehab is that the foot is. Is curved. There's. They often sort of don't have feeling.

Mm-hmm. So they were custom building the brace so that they [00:44:00] wouldn't develop pressure sores, but were getting what they needed in terms mm-hmm. Of the, the, the stiffness to aid with the walking. But they were taking the time to literally sit with the child and carve out the, where the holes needed to be.

And it was. Beautiful to watch, but it was also humbling 'cause that's how much time they're taking with each one of our patients and, and the care, they're, they're encouraged to do that. It's part of what they're allowed and permitted to do at work. 

Jeff Holden: And while we applaud and acknowledge and love the work that these doctors are doing, the other part of it is these children.

What they're going through in every step of the way. Not only is it a learning experience for them, but it's just that one step more of I've accomplished this, I've accomplished this, and it doesn't hurt, or it does hurt. This is where it hurts and it gets fixed and they realize I'm gonna be okay. And I, I think that's the greatest gift that comes out of all of this, is the acceptance and the normalcy of it all.[00:45:00] 

And the children get to be the children. They're, they're meant to be. 

Alan Anderson: And one of the things that, I'm not trying to beat the drum two on unrestricted donations, but we have a, we have a transitions program that starts at age 12 with kids who have lifelong conditions or kids who they're gonna need to be the CEOs of, of their lives, but also their healthcare decision making.

Mm-hmm. And we begin that process at 12 where you're helping them. Build the confidence to seek the providers that will continue to enhance them, even as adults. Mm-hmm. Because things that we're do, we've done so well. Kids with spina bifida had a capitated lifespan, now they're living into adulthood.

Mm-hmm. Well, medicine hasn't necessarily trained a lot of primary care physicians to deal with that. Mm. So they often don't know. So it winds up being the patient who has to sort of inform the doctor and kind of be. Not just their own expert, but be assertive. So that's, that again, is built into our over overarching program.

You get enrolled into the Transitions program. We just had a Pathways to Possibilities [00:46:00] event on September 20th, where we brought in different organizations that can be of re resources for these young people when they become adults, uh, including financial literacy. Mm-hmm. So again, it's the, the goal is they're gonna be adults.

We want them to be successful adults. 

Jeff Holden: They will be more self advocates than we are. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Because we tend to do that badly and we don't address our needs and get sick. And sometimes it's too late, you know, oh, you should have taken care of that sooner, or whatever it might've been. They know.

Mm-hmm. 

You know, these children know to always be addressing it and, and they're aware of it. There's a lot more self-awareness and I think, you know, physical abilities than. Most children. Mm-hmm. I'm gonna put you on the spot just for a second here. Sure. Before we, you know, wrap you 18 years Yeah. At Shriners dealing with children with all sorts of disabilities and, and trauma is, is [00:47:00] a heavy load and you're out there telling the story all day long to potential donors and people that we'd like to see involved in the hospital.

How do you let some of that go when you get home? 

Alan Anderson: That's a great question. I'm fortunate to have a great family, so I will, I, my, my wife is absolutely wonderful and we laugh a lot together sometimes. It's just the idiosyncrasies of the world and so family and friends are great. I am a runner. Three days a week, you will find me pounding the pavement in Sacramento, and then three days a week you'll find me in the gym on the alternating days.

And I do a bootcamp on Monday, which is always brutal and I hate it, but it's always good. So there is a, there's a phys, the, the physicality of that does help. Mm-hmm. Sort of release some of what can be built up. And the exercises I can do, I can do anywhere. So if I'm on a trip visiting donors, I can, you know, do it if I'm in New York City, Austin, wherever.

But I, I, I would say. I'm inspired at the same time every day, and so a lot of [00:48:00] times. I, I tap into the fact that as difficult sometimes as my day can be, what the kids and the families are, are what their endurance requirement is. It far exceeds anything I'm facing. Mm-hmm. And so I really do find so much inspiration out of, out of the encounters I have with wonderful families, kids you see in the elevator, there's.

Young boy as I was going out to the garage today, who was, you know, basically zipping past me, his wheelchair to hit the button to the doors and he was fast and so excited and I'm like, you rock uhhuh. So there is, there is some of that. But, you know, nature, beauty, other people. I, I really tried to just relish the fact that altogether we're all trying to do great things, 

Jeff Holden: and that's a great reset.

That that's exactly what I think a lot of people want to hear. 

Mm-hmm. 

You know, hey, it's just a reset. I go back and I do my thing and it's wonderful because when you sit across from a child like Taylor 

mm-hmm. 

And you see, you know, the miracle of her abilities today [00:49:00] from what could have been, and I, it, it's just amazing.

I, I wanna go to Bahamas with you too. Yes.

What's, what's the best way to learn more about the organization? 

Alan Anderson: So the website, shriners children's dot org slash Sacramento. And one of the great things you can do if you go to that website is you can find a phone number and if you want to visit the hospital, give us a call. We'll be, we'd be happy to take you on a tour.

Jeff Holden: And it goes both ways for, you know, parents maybe with a child that might need some special care and or. Somebody interested in just learning more about the hospital. 

Alan Anderson: So that's the most important message aside from the fact that unrestricted dollars are great is the only reason we're raising money is to treat kids.

Yes. And one of the, one of the things that people are so accustomed to is healthcare is hurdles. It is literally simple to reach out to Shriner Children's, Northern California to if you have a child that you think would be eligible for care. The website has a e easy click on button to get into. To [00:50:00] self refer.

We parents self refer. Grandparents will refer their grandchildren. Then we have to work with the parents. But anyone can basically reach out and say, my child could, I think, could use your help. So the website, it's a referral tool. You can learn about events. But you can also learn about our specialties.

Um, but we also, coming to visit the hospital is a great way to see us because one of the things you notice is that it doesn't feel like a hospital and the people in it don't behave like they're clinical people. And it, it makes you, I think, feel very hopeful that this is a place that really is focused on kids.

Like it's not just something you see in ads or, or, or hear about in terms of slogans. So. Yeah, check us out. 

Jeff Holden: Are are the events on the website as well? Yes. Okay. And I know that you do an annual event that. It's a toy drive and it is a massive, it's massive 

Alan Anderson: Euro Sunday project. Yes. So Euro Sunday, you're familiar with Euro Sunday?

Yes, yes. 

Jeff Holden: Euro Sunday. For the benefit of those who don't, it's European cars and it's a [00:51:00] lot of guys who have those types of cars, you know, Ferrari and Lamborghinis and, and all sorts of. Vehicles of European heritage. Mm-hmm. 

Alan Anderson: Yeah. Porsches Volkswagens, so on the first Sunday of the month and the Sacramento area coincides with CAM every year, which is the local last Boston qualifying marathon, but from eight to noon.

The car clubs of Sacramento and anybody who drives a vehicle and wants to participate, they drive up, they donate a toy to the hospital, they get their picture taken, providing the toy to the Mary Elves. Uh, we have a finish line. There's lots of music. Last year it was generated 16,000 toys. Oh my goodness.

For the hospital, which they're used throughout the year. So they're, they're used as. Birthday gifts for kids in the hospital that uses incentives for difficult procedures, and then they're used oftentimes in clinic to encourage kids. But it's, it's massive. It raises, it's about $10,000 and it's, it's money that people give [00:52:00] spontaneously.

'cause it really is a toy drive, but it also is a fundraiser. But the spirit is amazing. You get. 400 cars of all shapes and sizes. The biggest club is the Volkswagen Club, which, and a good friend 

Jeff Holden: of mine has, um, blue and white bus who loads that bus. You know who I'm talking about? Yes, I do. That bus is loaded to the max 'cause he's a hairdresser.

Yes. And everybody gets their hair cut by him, brings gifts to load the bus for this event, and it is amazing what you see and the pictures and the toys and everything that goes on for that event. 

Alan Anderson: This year, we're giving them a special place where they're gonna be able to unload so they can. So we can feature it, we can take pictures, and, um, and also it gives them time to enjoy it versus trying to get everything out of the bus all at once.

Yeah. Um, Nelo, the Nelo company, who's a signature auto dealers in this area are wonderful. They, they're doing a toy drive for us as we speak, which is really remarkable, and we saw that at their concord. Past weekend and it's, but this is the spirit that really helps us do what we do because [00:53:00] again, at the end of the day, we're a children's hospital toys and kids, they go together.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. And they should. 

Alan Anderson: So one other event is the Thursday before the Sunday we're doing our gift of care tree lighting. 

Jeff Holden: And so this is every year? Every year. That Thursday before the Sunday of the toy drive Yes. Is Okay. 

Alan Anderson: So we have, uh, trees in the lobby. That the, the holiday trees, four of the trees are dedicated to patients.

They're decorated in to reflect the patient's interests. The children are there to tell their stories, uh, to the people who come to the event, and then they get to light their tree. It is open. There's no fee, there's no, there's no requirement to make a gift. If you want to hear from patients directly about what the.

What life, what Shriners has done for them. Come to the tree lighting. It's from six 30 to eight 30 in the first floor lobby of the hospital. We've got hot chocolate and treats. We do sing some carols. You don't have to sing, but it's a, it gets the holidays going. Mm-hmm. And more importantly, it's a, it's a time to be [00:54:00] thankful for what people have made possible for kids.

And we're thankful, more importantly, for what kids are able have been able to do for themselves. 

Jeff Holden: Lindsay, anything in closing that you wanna say? 

Lindsey Wilder: So Teli is actually part of that this year. Excited. Oh, that's awesome. Very excited. And this year is 

Jeff Holden: 2025. This episode would be listened to all throughout 26 as well.

Yes. But as we're talking, 

Lindsey Wilder: yeah. So she is getting a tree this year. She's very excited. We still don't know what to expect, but we know it's gonna be amazing. But on the toys. There was a time that her sisters came with us to an appointment and they offered, even the sisters a toy. 'cause you don't realize what they're also going through.

It's hard seeing their sibling suffer at times. Mm-hmm. So for all three of them, they were just shocked and so happy. And after her surgery, her foot surgery recently, there was a huge bag waiting on her bed for her and. I think she forgot she had surgery. She was so excited for that and opened [00:55:00] it, and then FaceTimed her sister, showing them, it just puts a smile on their face.

Jeff Holden: It was so cute seeing them both in the lobby with the cell phone and just thinking, these are 10-year-old little girls doing pictures and FaceTime and 

Lindsey Wilder: Oh, yes. 

Jeff Holden: Playing around. Right, and And you probably fight with each other sometimes too, huh? Yeah. Alan Lindsay stories like this are what? Make us recognize the humanity in everything.

And it, it's not about anything other than helping that child live a normal life as, as best as we possibly can through the great work of the doctors that you've got at the hospital. So to you and your team and, and Lindsey to the work that you're doing with your daughter and what she's doing for the hospital as an exemplary person.

With what she's talking about and sharing. And you mentioned she's, you know, presenting at some other schools and, and on [00:56:00] stage and 

Oh yes. 

Just, you know, what a, what a wonderful situation to be able to share with so many to say this is what this means. And I 

Lindsey Wilder: think it gives hope to families as well. Like, I'm a normal person that went through this.

There's people out there for us, hospitals out there for us. Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. And hope is the biggest thing. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. You know, we want people to know that that opportunity exists. They just have to find it. 

Yes. 

And, and it exists. It exists with Shriners. So I wanna thank you to your team of doctors, to the people in the administration side of that, with those unrestricted funds to everybody that makes that organization work.

Thank you. Hmm. 

Taelley Wilder: Thank you. 

Jeff Holden: And Lindsay, thank you. Thank you. And Kaylee, thank you. Thank you for listening to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. We hope today's episode inspired you and gave you a deeper look into the work of our local nonprofits. If you believe in our mission to amplify their voices, please take a moment to leave us a positive review and share this episode with a friend.

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