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Mission To Haiti and the Dominican Republic

ChiroMission Foundation chiropractors adjust 25,000 people in 4 days. Book of world records document the new world record event as PBS videos.

by Peter Morgan, D.C.

The ChiroMission Foundation led a team of 32 chiropractors and 31 chiropractic students to the jungles and remote villages of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The 60+ were accompanied by a PBS film team and the world book of records. ChiroMission has brought the healing power of Chiropractic to hundreds upon hundreds of Haitians in the town of Ouanaminthe and thousands upon thousands of people in multiple Dominican Republic cities, villages and hill top towns. The Chiropractors had more than 30 teams. Each team consisted of a chiropractor, a chiropractic student and a mission guide. Dr. Herold and Dr. Doornick led 25 of the teams in Imber, Luperon, Caberette and the Puerta Plata region of the Dominican Republic. Dr. Morgan led 5 teams in Santiago, La Vega, Ranchito and San Francisco de Marqoris. The rippling effects of this Chiropractic pebble dropping into the pond are just beginning.

Dr. Todd Herold, Dr. Peter Morgan and Dr. JC Doornick with President Leonel Fernandez(photo: Dr. Todd Herold, Dr. Peter Morgan and Dr. JC Doornick with President Leonel Fernandez)

Dr’s JC Doornick, Todd Herold and Peter Morgan, cofounders of the Chiromission Foundation also had a meeting with the President of the Dominican Republic Presidente Leonel Fernandez. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the formation of a chiropractic school health center in the Dominican Republic. The Doctors made a special trip last January just to meet the president. Every day for 10 days during January their meeting was canceled. Finally after ten days the three ChiroMission cofounders met with the Presidents cabinet, the Secretary of Health and the Secreatary of Education but not with the President. On the eleventh day the three chiropractors had to fly back to their practices in New York.

The three cofounders returned to the Dominican Republic during the last week of March 2008. This was one week earlier than the rest of the 60+ ChiroMission team. Their purpose was to educate hospitals, schools and pastors about chiropractic. They also had to prepare for the mission and for the arrival of the 65 chiropractors and students. On Sunday March 30, 2008 out of no where they recieved a call. Dr. JC Doornick tells it best…

Basically, we got “The Call” yesterday while sleeping at our hotel. President Doctor Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the Dominican Republic was to be at a press conference at 6pm to inaugurate a brand new hospital that we are working with to implement chiropractic and proactive/preventative health care. Dr. Todd Herold who is one of the cofounders of ChiroMission has a brother in-law that works security for the President and facilitated the “meeting.” Well, we basically waited 4 hours because he was mobbed with press and his motorcade was slowed down by traffic. Next thing we know, Todd’s brother in law shows up and grabs us by the arm and insists we follow him. We DID! All of a sudden these doors open up and we begin walking into an enormous Press Conference with thousands of people in attendence. As we marched into the large arena with music blaring, people were chanting “Presidente Leonel, Presidente Leonel. People were reaching, grabbing and trying to touch us as we proceeded up to the deus. It felt like 110 degrees as the press were taking pictures. This was a nationally televised event and we realized that we were walking into it with the President and his cabinet. Unbelievable!

We stood in the front for another two hours with the secret service agents in a private viewing area. PS: Todd and I gave them all adjustments while Pete photographed! After, the President was whisked away, we were maneuvered through side doors by security and we found ourselves in a private area where our meeting and the following picture was taken. It was now midnight as the President mentioned in perfect english how excited and thankful he was of our work here and it was awesome! Pete mentioned to him that we wanted to build a chiropractic school here in the Dominican Republic and he responded by saying “Go for it” The next day the three cofounders along with mission leader Jason O’Connor, DC lectured to group of over 50 medical residents, recent medical graduates and the heads of several medical departments at Morillo King Hospital in La Vega, Dominican Republic. The lecture was an introduction to chiropractic. The group explained the chiropractors role as primary health care providers centered on vertebral subluxation detection and correction. They discussed the possibility of bringing chiropractic to the country on a permanent basis. The Dominican Republic government and medical profession have embraced the concept 100%. The ChiroMission Foundation has been in contact with two major U.S. chiropractic schoolsin regards to an international outreach program in the Dominican Republic.

Now on to Haiti (this story is continued on the blog)

Peter Morgan, DC, is the immediate past presdient of the New York Chiropractic Council and cofounder of the ChiroMission Foundation. He has participated in many chiropractic missions over the years and is presently writing a book called Mission Chiropractic.

planetc1.com-news @ 11:25 pm | Article ID: 1208586339

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