SAN ANTONIO -- A chairman of the Board of Governors at the Shriners Hospital in Greenville said the organization has voted to keep the facility open. The 135th Imperial Council Session of the Shriners began on Sunday in San Antonio, Texas.

On the agenda was the consideration of a resolution to close the Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston as well as hospitals in Shreveport, La., Spokane, Wash., Greenville, S.C., Erie, Pa., and Springfield, Mass.

Rod Brown, Chairman of the Board of Governors at the Greenville Shriners Hospital, told FOX Carolina News on Monday afternoon that the session has voted to keep the Upstate hospital open.

Brown said that workers and patients at the hospital were relieved to hear the news about the decision.

After news that the Greenville hospital was on the chopping block, Upstate Shriners officials said the group received dozens of donations in an effort to keep it open. There were also numerous fundraisers held in hopes of saving the hospital.

The organization said stagnating donations, increasing costs and shriveling endowments lead them to consider closing the facility.

Stay with FOX Carolina and foxcarolina.com for the latest on this developing story.