Shriners Hospital for Children-Honolulu strengthened him physically and emotionally in his young years, says Wesley T. Park, 71-year-old Honolulu businessman and educator.

He was one of 26,011 kids - 81 percent from Hawaii and others from the Asia-Pacific region - whose lives have been transformed by Shriners in 85 years of free orthopedic care.

The hospital, at 1310 Punahou St., will celebrate its birthday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow with games, refreshments and information booths by organizations that serve children with bone, joint and muscle conditions.

“;Today, we're just as committed to providing quality orthopedic care at no charge to more children,”; said Stan Berry, Shriners Hospital administrator. “;It doesn't matter what a family's income may be or whether they have medical insurance. Families never see a bill from Shriners Hospital.”;

Park said that when he was 5, his parents took him to the former Children's Hospital to have his tonsils out “;and the next thing I know, I was in an iron lung.”;

He had polio, which affected his upper body, he said. He remembers hearing the doctor tell his parents he “;probably didn't have much chance.”;

He doesn't know how long he was in the iron lung. “;The next thing I know, I'm at Shriners Hospital,”; he said, explaining his head was tilted on his weak neck, he couldn't lift his right arm above his shoulder and when he raised his left arm it would fall.

He went to Shriners twice a week until he was in high school, working with the late Ruth Aust, a physical therapist there from 1947 to 1969. He said she had a profound impact on his feelings, telling him, “;Don't ever back down. Don't let anyone think you're a cripple.”;

Growing up in Kakaako and Kalihi, that meant a lot of fistfights, he recalled in an interview.

“;Somehow I survived that,”; he said with a laugh, “;but I had a lot of lumps on my head.”;