Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

The story of one child illustrates how Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is bringing help and hope to thousands every year.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC) opened its doors in October 1921 with the sole purpose of taking care of Texas children with polio. With the widespread availability of the Salk and Sabin vaccines in the 1950s, TSRHC expanded its services to provide general orthopedic care for its patients, measuring its success each year by the number of children the Hospital is able to help face the future with hope.

In October 2004, the Hospital celebrated its 83rd birthday. That same month saw another birthday. Cody McCasland celebrated his third birthday on October 2. As his parents Tina and Mike will attest, Cody’s birthday party might not have been possible without the care Cody has received at TSRHC.

A six-week premature baby, Cody was born in 2001. He weighed only four pounds, two ounces. After experiencing complications, Cody was finally able to go home before Halloween that year. Cody was referred to TSRHC by the neonatal intensive care unit at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, and he had his first appointment with TSRHC chief of staff Dr. Tony Herring in December 2001.

“ Once Cody was referred to TSRHC, we were relieved, knowing that he would receive great care and that we would be able to move forward with his treatment,” said Tina.

Cody’s condition is often associated with the absence or underdevelopment of the lower extremities, and, in 2002, an MRI showed that Cody had not developed a tibia bone or a knee in either of his legs. Cody’s doctors knew that this would severely impair his ability to walk. Because prosthetic legs would give Cody more mobility and the possibility of walking on his own, Cody’s doctors recommended that his legs be amputated and that he be fitted with prosthetic legs. “This was a very difficult and very intricate case,” said TSRHC prosthetics resident Sherryl Nash. “But the team at TSRHC accepted the challenge to find a way to help Cody walk.” Facing uncertainty once again, Tina and Mike kept their faith that Cody’s strong spirit and good nature would remain intact. “We never lost hope that Cody would be able to do whatever he wanted to do,” Tina said. And, thanks to the comprehensive care Cody received from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, he has. In addition to appointments with Dr. Herring, Cody still sees a number of specialists at TSRHC, including physical therapists, prosthetists, and therapeutic recreation specialists who work together to help Cody continue to take steps and move forward in his treatment. “Cody has always surprised us.” said Tina. “He has proven that if he is provided with a challenge, he will achieve miracles.”

For a child whose third birthday was truly a miracle, Cody has exceeded expectations in many ways. He rides horses once a week, takes swimming lessons, and is often seen checking the various fish tanks throughout TSRHC. “Cody has brought our family together in an amazing way,” Tina said. “More than anything, he has been a gift in our lives and has given our whole family an opportunity to get involved and give back to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children for everything the Hospital has given to us.”

One way that Cody’s family gave back to TSRHC was by participating in the 2004 Dallas White Rock Marathon, which benefits the Hospital. “Team Cody,” as his fan club is called, includes Tina and Mike; Cody’s aunt, Jennifer McCasland; and Tina’s uncle, Bob Voss, from California. In addition, several family friends participated in the marathon to support Cody and TSRHC. After the marathon’s Board of Directors learned about Cody and his family’s participation in the marathon, they voted to name him Junior Race Director of the 2004 Dallas White Rock Marathon. “We had hats made that say ‘Team Cody,’” said Tina. “We all trained, and everyone was excited about participating and being able to give back in such a meaningful way.”

This continuous optimism keeps the McCasland family looking to the future with hope. “We measure Cody’s success not by the big accomplishments, but by the small things,” said Tina. “Because of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Cody has been able to experience things that other children might not be able to experience, and our entire family has received the support we need to overcome each challenge.”

After 83 years of providing exceptional healthcare for Texas children, TSRHC continues to measure its success by each patient’s story of improved health and happiness. And each patient who has a reason to celebrate gives TSRHC a reason to look forward to the next 83 years of taking care of children.

If you would like help Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children continue to provide exceptional orthopedic care for patients like Cody, please call the Development Department at (214) 559-7650, or (800) 421-1121, extension 7650, or visit the TSRHC web site at www.tsrhc.org.

Editor’s Note: Cody was on the front cover of the November-December 2004 Scottish Rite Journal. Many Brethren wrote in to learn more about Cody, so we are reprinting, edited for Journal format, Cody’s story as it appeared in the Fall 2004 issue of Rite Up, a quarterly publication of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas.