Shriners highlighting the unique work of its Pediatric Orthotics and Prosthetics Services Department

Our goal with every device we make is to create a prosthetic that gives that child the ability to achieve their goals and to not be afraid of using it or even breaking it.”
— JoAnne Kanas, Shriners Children’s Corporate POPS Director

TAMPA,, FL, UNITED STATES, April 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Shriners Children’s is spotlighting the transformative care it provides for children with limb differences during Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month. All Shriners Children’s locations throughout the U.S. have a dedicated team of Pediatric Orthotics and Prosthetics Services (POPS) practitioners and help thousands of children each year. Last year alone, Shriners Children’s created more than 3,400 prosthetics for kids.

More than 200 POPS professionals work nationwide to deliver personalized, innovative prosthetics, starting as early as infancy. The process of creating the right device for each child is a balance of science and art. For many members of the POPS team, it’s a skill they’ve spent their entire careers perfecting and evolving, as new materials and technologies become available.

“Our goal with every device we make is to create a prosthetic that gives that child the ability to achieve their goals and to not be afraid of using it or even breaking it,” said JoAnne Kanas, Shriners Children’s Corporate Director of Orthotics and Prosthetics. “It’s quite different from making an adult prosthetic. Our kids want to do things like ride a bike, play baseball, or play the violin. You name it, we’ve probably built a custom prosthetic that allows a kid to do it. And that’s really the magic of what we do because there’s nothing better than helping kids enjoy being kids.”

Shriners Children’s has two central fabrication centers in Tampa, Florida, and Portland, Oregon, both creating custom prosthetics that travel hundreds of miles to locations across the country to the children who need them. All Shriners Children’s care locations within the U.S. have a dedicated POPS team that works to custom-fit prosthetics to the exact specifications a patient needs.

“We might make over 30 prosthetics for one individual patient throughout their time in care,” Kanas said. “It’s amazing to see what our patients have accomplished. Many of our kids participate in extracurricular activities and high-impact sports, and in some cases, the other kids don’t know they have a limb difference until they show them, and we love that. We want them to feel empowered by their differences and not held back.”

Some patients have gone on to be prosthetists themselves at Shriners Children’s, such as Jillian Elwart in Shreveport, who also competed in the 2024 Paralympics. Hunter Woodhall, Paralympic gold medalist, credits Shriners Children’s for making many different running blades and other devices for him throughout his childhood. Shriners Children’s patient Juan Diego is receiving a state-of-the-art partial hand prosthetic that will make doing everyday tasks easier and Texas patient Adison is considering a career in the medical field because of his experience with POPS and Shriners Children’s staff.

“Our legacy of compassion and expertise is shown every day through our patients’ success,” said Kanas. “Their strength and achievements are what motivates and inspires us.”

About Shriners Children’s
Shriners Children’s improves the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, conducting innovative research, and offering outstanding education programs for medical professionals. Children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care, regardless of the families’ ability to pay or insurance status, and receive all care and services in a compassionate, family-centered environment. For more information, please visit shrinerschildrens.org.

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