In June, Montreal’s four leading pediatric institutions announced the creation of MUSCO, the first and largest collaborative initiative of its kind in Canada to help children with musculoskeletal disorders. The CHU Sainte-Justine and its Marie-Enfant Rehabilitation Centre, the Montreal Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospitals for Children — Canada are coming together thanks to a $10 million donation from the Mirella & Lino Saputo Foundation.
The donation will provide the opportunity to revolutionize patient care and services in Quebec for children with musculoskeletal diseases requiring complex care (hence the name MUSCO).
It will allow facilities to:
- Re-evaluate procedures and tools to facilitate a patient’s treatment and improve the patient experience
- Recruit key people to accompany patients and their families, ensuring they receive the right care at the right time and at the right place
- Build infrastructure and buy state-of-the-art medical equipment and technology, giving patients in our system access to the best and latest care and diagnostic techniques
- Create spaces encouraging innovation and discussion to share best practices and develop new protocols
- Organize events and help centers to offer patients and families the best information possible
- Train medical professionals to offer a better bedside manner
- Include patients and families as partners
“MUSCO will allow for incredible breakthroughs in pediatrics, benefiting thousands of children and their families from all over Quebec, Canada, and around the world,” said Reggie C. Hamdy, M.D., chief of staff at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Canada. “On behalf of everyone here at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Canada, thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Saputo, for having the vision to see what we can create together.”
