'Hospitals driven by excellence, by love of kids,' Children’s hospitals in London and Montreal join forces

It's being called a first-of-its-kind affiliation agreement between the Children's Hospital in London, and Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada based in Montreal.

Shriners Hospitals Canada Administrator Jacques Boissonneault called them, "Hospitals driven by excellence, by love of kids."

The agreement was announced on Friday morning in London, made possible by a $1.5 million grant distributed over five years.

Boissonneault told CTV London the agreement was first discussed five years ago when Shriners Hospital officials visited London, "Getting the groups, both institutions together just created an incredible energy and will."

It was almost two decades ago that London Shriners gathered at the city’s Mocha Shrine Centre to learn they had lost their bid to host the hospital, with leadership deciding to keep it in Montreal.

The new affiliation agreement is being called a win for all, with gains in research, education and clinical care.

London's Children's Hospital president Nash Syed the institution will be able to launch the Shriners Rare Bone Disease Clinic, “We’ll support things like osteogenesis imperfecta -brittle bone disease - and other limb anomalies. We'll have kids get care here."

Jessica Quinlan's 14-year-old son Reiko has brittle bone disease. Her account of the challenging journey he has been on drew an audible reaction from those gathered for the announcement, "It's not an exaggeration to say that at 14-years-old Reiko has most likely experienced more than a thousand fractures."

Jessica Quinlan with son Reiko (Submitted)

She added later, “That's the part where I almost got choked up in the speech because even though we live it, this is our life, you never get used to the fractures, and you never get used to the pain."

For much of Reiko’s young life Jessica or her husband would need to make multiple trips a year from their home in Goderich to Montreal for treatment or surgeries, with four other children to care for, "Sometimes not knowing how long we're going to be gone and, depending on the situation, whether he needs surgery."

In recent years they have been able to get treatment in London.

An affiliation agreement will allow the Children's Hospital to open a new specialized clinic (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

The Leether family has also shared time between their home in St. Thomas and Montreal. Jill Leether appreciates the care and support her 16-year-old daughter, Kaydence, received in Montreal but values being able to stay close to home, "Less traveling, more time for school, work, family, all the things that we miss when we're traveling back and forth to Montreal all the time."

Hospital officials say to be able to ensure patients that wherever they are there will be care available. The goal is to reach affiliation agreements with other pediatric hospitals across the country.