SUMMER 2010 VOL. 3 ISSUE 2
LIFE UNIVERSITY’S ALUMNI MAGAZINE
PRESIDENT’S letter
Greetings Life Alumni! It seems like every time you put your head down to focus on the task at hand, another three or four months passes by. It is amazing how much has happened since the last issue of Your Extraordinary Life! As spring gave way to summer, the trees and shrubs on campus turned out their finest greens and the flowers blossomed in brilliant shades of yellow, red and purple. The campus will soon become even greener with the latest Central Green construction project well underway. Read more about this project in the Around Campus section on page 2. With the completion of the greening project, we are nearing the end of phase one of the 2020 Vision “Creating the Livable Campus;” what a perfect cap to this successful venture. However, it’s not just Life’s physical plans that continue to evolve; the areas of academia are making great strides as well. The incoming fall class of the College of Undergraduate Studies (CUS) is projected to be the largest in the history of Life University. The CUS has also added a second honor society, Kappa Omicron Nu (KON), to recognize the scholarship and achievements of students in the nutrition program. Speaking of education, have you completed your continuing education credits for 2010? If not, Life University’s Post-Graduate Programs will be hosting a three-day CE event on campus Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, in which participants can earn up to 24 hours of continuing education credits. The CE program will include the required risk management and law classes for the states of Georgia and Florida. Life will also host alumni reunions for the classes of 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005. Turn to page 6 to learn more about these events. Research is another area that continues to excel at Life University. Thanks to the efforts of our faculty,
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Life University’s Post-Graduate Programs will be hosting a three-day CE event on campus Sept. 30 through Oct. 2.
and the very generous donations and consignments from Dr. Frederick Carrick and Kevin Maher, Life is poised to usher in a new era of chiropractic and biomechanical research, which we believe will gain attention from major news outlets and respected health care institutions around the world. Life University’s Rugby program is fast becoming the envy of athletic directors across the country. In June, the Division I team traveled to Glendale, Colo., to play in the Final Four. After a tough loss in the semifinals to Las Vegas, the eventual national champion, the Life team regrouped and put an old-fashioned whipping on Palmer in the consolation game. The final score was 61-17, as we finished third in the nation. The Super League team enjoyed another great year as well with an undefeated regular season and a good run at the national championship semifinals. And finally, the undergraduate team was recently asked to join an exclusive new collegiate “Premier League.” Starting in the fall, Life Rugby will play in the same conference as Tennessee, Louisiana State, Texas A&M, Notre Dame and Oklahoma! With all this excitement going on, I know you are anxious to get back on campus, and I hope to see each and every one of you very soon! Even if you’ve visited recently, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by all the new additions and improvements continuing to transform our campus. Positive change is happening every day at Life University! Yours in Chiropractic,
Guy F. Riekeman, D.C. President
2010 Your Extraordinary Life The Alumni Magazine of Life University
Contents
www.life.edu
Spring
FEATURES
8 Straightening Out Slices and Spines Golf enthusiast and seasoned chiropractor Jeffrey Poplarski is a popular fixture at the U.S. Open
12 Meet the Alumni Association Executive Board Get familiar with the faces behind some of the Alumni Association’s biggest decisions DEPARTMENTS
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Around Campus: What’s New at Life Walking Globally; Creating a Central Green; Librarians Unite; Talking the TIC; Life Leadership Weekend; A Chiropractic C.A.R.E. Clinic; Octagon Weekend
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Around Campus: Athletics Life Crushes Palmer; Forming a Rugby Premier League
NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC.
LIFE UNIVERSITY
Jamie Ryan Publisher
Guy F. Riekeman, D.C. President
Larry Lebovitz President
Greg Harris Vice President for University Advancement
John Hanna Vice President
Craig Dekshenieks Director of Communications
Laura Newsome Editor
Molly Dickinson Communications Coordinator
Amy Selby Associate Editor
Leila Tatum Alumni Relations Manager
Michelle Schlundt Production Coordinator/ Circulation Manager
Jenni Bennett Public Relations Coordinator
Garon Hart Graphic Designer
Guy D’Alema Senior Photographer
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Life University’s International Alumni Association Connecting with alumni around the world
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A Defender of Chiropractic Dr. Luigi DiRubba fights professional prejudice
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Alumni Spotlight; Class Notes Catch up with fellow classmates; Read about Dr. Scott Paton’s new book
Your Extraordinary Life magazine is published three times a year by New South Publishing, 450 Northridge Parkway, Ste. 202, Atlanta, GA 30350. 770-650-1102; Fax: 770-650-2848. Postmaster: Send address changes to Your Extraordinary Life, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA 30060-9854.
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It is the purpose of Your Extraordinary Life to promote the events, accomplishments, accolades and philosophies of Life University and its faculty, staff and students to current, prospective and former students, as well as the academic community at large. Life University is a private, nonprofit institution founded in 1974. For more information, write to Life University, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA 30060, or visit life.edu.
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Material in this publication may not be reprinted without written permission from the editorial offices in Marietta. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2010 Life University. Printed in the USA.
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Reader Comments See something you are excited about? How about something that makes your blood boil? Write in and tell us about it. Please submit all comments to alumni@life.edu.
Continuing Education Close to Home Get all the credits you need at Life’s Fall CE Event
Life Research Update A New CAPS Unit; Life Receives a GyroStim; Curing “Wii-itis”; Chiropractor Confidence; Life Hires a Post-Doctorate Researcher
Student Spotlight Chiropractic students PEAK in China
Faculty Spotlight Dr. Wilfred Turnbull’s research feeds his nutritional curiosity
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Mark Your Calendar: Seminar and Event Schedule Connect with alumni and earn educational credits through exciting professional learning opportunities
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What’s New at Straighten Up’s Walking Initiative Goes Global Life University’s own Ron Kirk, M.A., D.C., professor of chiropractic sciences, recently traveled to Geneva, Switzerland to present his work on community empowerment in health promotion at the World Health Organization’s 63rd Annual World Health Assembly, held May 17-21. Out of scores of non-governmental organizations affiliated with the WHO, Kirk represented one of only a handful of speakers chosen to share expert insights with assembly delegates, including health ministers and senior officials from 193 WHO member states. Kirk’s “Building on Community Assets” presentation, which was part of a larger workshop on globally effective ways to mainstream the promotion of health and wellness, served as the global unveiling of the Straighten Up spinal health program’s “Just Start Walking.” Since its inception in 2005 through the Delphi process——a product-development model that allows a panel of experts and lay members to provide feedback on the proposed project in order to encourage participant buy-in—— the Straighten Up spinal health program has been translated into 14 languages and implemented in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, South Africa, China, India and a growing list of other nations. “Just Start Walking” is the newest activity module created under Straighten Up, and its message is as simple and straightforward as the name implies: just start walking——whenever you can, as often as you can. “The real objective with these programs,” says Kirk, who oversees the Delphi process along with his fellow seed panel members, “is that
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we want to overcome people’s barriers to good health behaviors and make wellness easy for them. We did that with Straighten Up and the Posture Pod [a series of one- to three-minute daily exercises for healthy posture] and we’re doing it now with ‘Just Start Walking’—— it’s easy, it’s free, it’s fun.” Prominent Delphi members who have expressed enthusiasm about Just Start
Walking include Grace Lo Yuen Fong, manager of the Community Health and Social Services unit for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Jose Martines, coordinator of the Children’s Health and Development Department for WHO. For more information on Straighten Up and its wellness initiatives, visit straightenupamerica.org.
Creating a Central Green The Life University campus is undergoing a transformation by turning a series of parking lots into a “Central Green.” The capital improvement project began in May and will not only further green the campus with the addition of trees, grass and shrubs, but it will also give students a place to convene, study, relax and socialize. The plans call for an outdoor amphitheater, walking paths, fountains and secluded alcoves for studying or meditation, along with multiple flora that will bring much-needed shade from Georgia’s summer heat and provide beautiful foliage all year long. As part of the larger 20/20 Vision of Life University, the Central Green is sure to enhance the college experience for Life’s students.
AROUND campus
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Librarians of the World Unite Life University is a member of the InterLibrary Loan (ILL) program, which unites institutional libraries all over the world. The program provides a forum in which organizations can share resources, such as books, journals, periodicals and studies. If a student or faculty member is looking for a specific piece of information and the Life University library does not have it, they can put in a request to one of the other member libraries that does carry the document(s). Life receives requests all the time from institutions in the United States and as far away as Brazil, Italy and Turkey. “We receive upward of 100 requests per day,” says Pam Shadrix, Life’s InterLibrary Loan manager. In fact, Life received 1,688 requests in March alone, a workload that took three people to manage. Life gets requests from various organizations, such as law firms looking for research for case evidence, and the National Wildlife Foundation seeking veterinary information. Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has requested numerous studies about human strength and conditioning that have been conducted by the faculty members of Life’s Sport Health Science Department. But you don’t have to be a student, lawyer or astronaut to utilize this service. Life alumni have full access to the library, including the ILL program. As a doctor in the field, if you are looking for case studies or information about a specific condition presented by a patient, you can contact the Life University library at library@life.edu.
Life Student Wins Annual “Talk The TIC” Competition Life chiropractic student Miranda Abbott took home first place honors in this year’s “Talk The TIC” competition, held during Life University’s Lyceum event in April. “Talk The TIC” is an international competition among students, the primary focus of which is delivering the chiropractic message. Abbott will proudly keep the chiropractic torch for one year before passing it on to next year’s winner. Congratulations to Abbott, and all the other participants, for finding your voice, honing your message and being a champion of Chiropractic!
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What’s New at Life Leadership Weekend You will often hear the phrase, “You don’t choose Chiropractic; it chooses you.” Four times each year, the Enrollment Department at Life University hosts Life Leadership Weekends where prospective students gather on campus. The idea is not necessarily to convince prospective students to come to Life, but rather to help them see if Life is the right fit for them. The weekend is filled with activities and speakers who talk about Chiropractic and other vital health science disciplines, in the hopes that one of these disciplines will “choose” a prospective student. If you know of someone who would make a great addition to the Life family, please encourage them to attend a Life Leadership Weekend. For more information, please contact our Department of Enrollment or visit life.edu/Leadership_Weekend.
Life Participates in C.A.R.E. Clinic On March 27, media attention was focused on the Georgia Convention Center in Atlanta, where 1,200 local health care professionals volunteered to provide services to people in the community who are without health insurance or are underinsured. This Communities Are Responding Everyday (C.A.R.E.) event was part of a larger, nationwide effort through the National Association of Free Clinics. Life University staff, doctors and students were among those who volunteered and did their part to touch hundreds of lives with the message of chiropractic
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health care by adjusting over 100 people throughout the day. Thanks to our association with the Georgia Free Clinics Network, the Life doctors were the only chiropractors among the hundreds of health care volunteers offering up their services. Faculty and staff who volunteered their time and chiropractic expertise included Dr. Mirtschink, Dr. Powell, Dr. Donaldson, Cynthia Lund and Monyetta Strickland. Student interns included Kelly McLaurin, Jon Via, Cole Joyce, Justin Phillips, Jason Kramer, Cornell Cornish, Shea Newsome, Will Soriano and Nicole Procyk.
Octagon Weekend The LifeSource Octagon, a center for infinite thinking, will be hosting its next vital conversation on Contemporary Scientific Paradigms on April 14-16, 2011, on Life’s campus. We invite you to join us as keynote speaker Dr. Bruce Lipton examines the range of scientific paradigms and their relationship to vitalism, as well as what changes are required to design a new health care paradigm that fully supports wellness rather than trying to control disease. For more information, visit life.edu/octagon and click on the 2011 Conference.
AROUND campus
Life Rugby Crushes Palmer, Places Third in the Country Over the June 5-6 weekend, Life University made it to the final four of the Division 1 Men’s Rugby Championship. After losing by three points in the semifinals to eventual national champions, Las Vegas, Life University regrouped and dominated Palmer College 61-17 in the consolation game. Life Rugby alumni, Life President Dr. Guy Riekeman and Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Shawn Ferguson, enthusiastically attended the event. “I couldn’t be more proud of a group of players,” says Dan Payne, Life University’s director of rugby. “We bounced back from a disappointingly close loss on Saturday with great emotion and enthusiasm. It has been a special experience for everyone involved with this group of student-athletes.”
The Life University men’s rugby team finishes the season with a record of 20-1 ——their only defeat being the three-point loss in the national semifinals. Having recently been voted “Rugby Club of the Year” by Rugby magazine, the leading rugby periodical in the United States, Life University continues to rule its class of college rugby, boasting two elite rugby teams in SuperLeague and Division I competition.
Rugby to Compete in New College Premier League Life University is getting ready to add a third rugby team to its roster this fall, which will participate in the inaugural season of the Rugby Premier League. Life’s conference in the new league will feature well-known colleges and universities like Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee,
“It has been a special experience for everyone involved with this group of student-athletes.”
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Oklahoma and Notre Dame. With a growing worldwide interest in rugby, as evidenced by its inclusion in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, this new Premier League will be looking to secure a television deal with a major network. Imagine being able to tune in and watch your Running Eagles play Notre Dame on NBC! “We’ve been looking forward to the start of our undergraduate side next fall with much excitement and great anticipation,” says Coach Payne. “To be able to be a part of such a new and prestigious competition within our country is a great honor for the program and the university. We have an incoming freshmen class of 12 and they’re going to have to jump right into the fire, alongside our returning veterans, with some of the teams we’ll be competing against within our conference. We’re excited to host these universities on our campus and are very happy that our student-athletes will get the opportunity to travel and visit the campuses of the universities we’ll be competing with.”
——Dan Payne, Life University director of rugby
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CONTINUING ED
Fall CE Event Have you completed all your continuing education for 2010? Is this your reunion year? Do you want to see how the campus has changed?
Life University will host a three-day continuing education event on campus Sept. 30 through Oct. 2. Life’s Fall CE Event is a great way to complete your requirements for 2010 without having to close your office for a week, all while enjoying the cool weather and changing fall colors of scenic Marietta, Ga. You can earn up to 24 CE credit hours in the disciplines that matter to you. On the following page, check out the complete schedule of classes, along with a list of exciting featured speakers. Friday night reunion dinners at the Hyatt are scheduled for the classes of ’05, ’00, ’95, ’90, ’85 and ’80; a special hotel rate is available just for this event. For more information, contact Life University’s Continuing Education Department at 770-426-2787, or visit life.edu/Fall_CE_Event_2010. If you are interested in being a Fall CE sponsor, call Tom McCleskey at 770-426-2660.
Become a Reunion Chair and Attend Fall CE Weekend for Free!
The 19th-Century Village at Life.
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If you graduated in 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 or 2005, we want you! Recruit 10 of your classmates to attend the class reunions and you will recieve free registration to the Fall CE Event as well as the reunion dinner. For more information, contact Leila Tatum, alumni relations manager, at alumni@life.edu or 800-543-3202.
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Fall CE Event Schedule THURSDAY, SEPT. 30, 2010 8a.m. 9a.m. 10a.m. 11a.m.
8 a.m. - 9 a.m. C127 GA Law Dr. Hussein Elsangak 1 hr 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. C127 Risk Management Dr. Hussein Elsangak 4 hrs
12p.m. 1p.m. 2p.m. 3p.m.
9 a.m. - 11 a.m. C152 Clinic - The War Within Dr. Dean DePice 2 hrs
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. C149 Technique - Upper Cervical Dr. Roy Sweat 4 hrs
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. C152 Clinic - Interrelationship of Spine to Extremities Dr. Keith Rau 2 hrs
Noon - 1 p.m. C127 Risk Management Dr. Marc Schneider 1 hr
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Lunch 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C149 Biomechanics of the Human Spine Patrick Lee 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 4 p.m. C152 Spidertech - Theory & Application of Kinesiotaping 2 hrs
1 p.m. - 5 p.m. C127 Risk Management 2hrs Ethics, 2hrs Med Errors Dr. Marc Schneider 4 hrs
4 p.m. - 6 p.m. C152 Pettibon Rehabilitation Dr. Shan Hager 2 hrs
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. C127 GA Law Dr. Marc Schneider 1 hr
8 a.m. - Noon C125 Technique Flexion Distraction Dr. Steve Garber 4 hrs
8 a.m. - Noon C152 Technique Neuromechanical Innovations Dr. Chris Colloca 4 hrs
8 a.m. - Noon C108 Philosophy Chiropractic Philosophy Dr. David Koch 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C149 Neurology Pediatric Neurology Dr. Laura Hanson 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C152 Technique Thompson Technique Dr. Jerry Hochman 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 4 p.m. C108 Clinic - Ethics & Documentation for Personal Injury Cases NCMIC 2 hrs 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. C108 Clinic - Extreme Examination Makeover Dr. Jeffrey Miller - Foot Levelers 2 hrs
9 a.m. - 11 a.m. C125 Clinic - Metabolic Syndrome Obesity/Diabetes/Hypertension Dr. Hussein Elsangak 2 hrs 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. C125 Clinic - Sports Nutrition Dr. Ilana Katz 2 hrs
9 a.m. - 11 a.m. C108 FL Requirements Record Keeping Dr. Angel Tribuno/ 2 hrs
4p.m. 5p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 1, 2010 8a.m. 9a.m.
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. C127 Biomechanics & Neuromechanics Dr. John Downes 4 hrs
8 a.m. - Noon C149 Clinic Extremity Adjusting Drs. Keith Rau & Marni Capes 4 hrs
10a.m. 11a.m. 12p.m. Noon - 2 p.m. Lunch and State of University Address 1p.m. 2p.m. 3p.m.
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C127 Biomechanics Chiropractic Biophysics Dr. Deed Harrison 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C152 Clinic Current Research Trends Dr. Stephanie Sullivan 4 hrs
4p.m. 5p.m. 6p.m. 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Alumni Reunion Dinners 7p.m.
Reunion years 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, contact alumni@life.edu for information.
SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 2010 9a.m. 10a.m. 11a.m.
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. C149 Biomechanics Spinal Stabilization Exercises & Case Studies Dr. David Ward 4 hrs
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. C152 Clinic Nutrition & Pediatrics Dr. Claudia Anrig 4 hrs
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. C127 Neurology Neurology Research Dr. Frederick Carrick 4 hrs
12p.m. 1p.m.
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Lunch
2p.m. 3p.m. 4p.m. 5p.m.
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. C108 FL Requirements Documentation Dr. Angel Tribuno/ 2 hrs
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C149 Radiology Radiology Review Dr. Bruce Fox 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C127 Clinic Sports Injuries Dr. John Downes 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 4 p.m. C125 Nutrition Healthy Bones/Osteoporosis Dr. Bruce Bond 2 hrs 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. C125 Applied Kinesiology Dr. Carl Amodio 2 hrs
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. C152 Technique Gonstead Technique Dr. Michael Tomasello 4 hrs
2 p.m. - 4 p.m. C108 FL Requirements Documentation Dr. Angel Tribuno 2 hrs 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. C108 FL Requirements Florida Law Dr. Angel Tribuno 2 hrs www.life.edu
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FEATURE
Straightening Out
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Slices and Spines BY CRAIG DEKSHENIEKS
If ever there was an activity that was tailor-made for Chiropractic, it is golf. The seemingly unnatural torque of the spine, combined with the swinging of both arms and the twisting of the torso, can wreak havoc on the body of even the fittest athlete. For the occasional player or weekend golfer, an adjustment before or after a round can mean an ache-free Monday at the office. But for the elite athlete whose only job is golf, Chiropractic means much more than pain relief and injury prevention——it’s about optimum performance. Jeffrey Poplarski, D.C., opened a sports chiropractic office in Amityville, N.Y., after graduating from Life University in 1995. He has always had an intense passion for sports and Chiropractic, but never expected that his two passions would converge at the U.S. Open golf championship. In 2002, the United States Golf Association (USGA) selected Bethpage State Park to host their crowning event——the U.S. Open——one of the most prestigious championships in the world of golf. Bethpage State Park is located on Long Island in Farmingdale, N.Y.——not far from Poplarski’s practice in Amityville. Conducting a huge sporting event involves everything from parking and crowd control, to food and beverage sales and waste management. Another important aspect of the production is tending to the health and wellness needs of the players. The USGA contacted Poplarski and offered him the opportunity to tend to the wellness needs of the caddies and volunteers during the championship. Accustomed to carrying 60-pound bags of golf clubs up and down hills for over five miles during a round of golf, profes-
sional golf caddies certainly have a lot of reasons to seek out chiropractic care. Since caddies also assist golfers with club selection and offer advice on how to play a certain hole or a specific shot, the health of these golfing sidekicks is vital to the success of professional golfers. For the 2002 U.S. Open, Dr. Poplarski was named the Wellness Chairman of the championship. He set up two centers and brought in a team of 35 health care providers, including chiropractors, acupuncturists and massage therapists. Though he doesn’t recall how many visits they had that year from caddies and tournament volunteers, Poplarski does remember how quickly word-of-mouth spread. “We had a few visits early in the week,” he says, “but by the end of the week it seemed like every person who came in said that someone else had recommended us.” When the championship ended and Dr. Poplarski and his team returned to their own chiropractic practices, they were left with the feeling that their efforts had made a difference in the performance of the caddies and the volunteers, and Poplarski received thanks and praise from the USGA for a job well done.
“We weren’t sure at that point if this was a ‘one and done’ type of thing or if we might get to do it again,” he says. Poplarski wouldn’t have to wait long for his answer. Two years later, the U.S. Open returned to Long Island for the 2004 event at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, and the USGA enlisted his services once again. That year, even more caddies and volunteers came in for chiropractic care than in 2002, and the rave reviews continued. But the USGA has a habit of alternating venues from year to year, so it seemed to Poplarski that he was only getting ‘the call’ when the U.S. Open was being played in New York. “That was good news for us in 2006, since the Open was set for Winged Foot in Mamoroneck, N.Y.,” he says, “but bad news for the following few years since the Open wasn’t scheduled for New York again until 2009.” Then a peculiar thing happened. Feedback about Poplarski and his winning team had grown to epic proportions, and prior to the 2008 U.S. Open, the USGA contacted him again. Dr. Poplarski remembers the phone call with a chuckle. “The call came and I thought they had made a mistake because the
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FEATURE
2008 Open was to be held at Torrey Pines in San Diego!” At this point, Poplarski’s chiropractic operation really took off on the golf course. He and his team provided services for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, and were offered the opportunity again in 2009 when the championship returned to Bethpage on Long Island. But in 2009 there was a new spin: Poplarski and his team were now tasked with pro-
The 2010 U.S. Open once again returned to the West Coast on sunny Pebble Beach, Calif. “They understand the benefit of it now, so we’ve become a mainstay,” says Poplarski, with a hint of gratitude in his voice. Expanding the operation to include the professional golfers has turned the entire operation into a $200,000 set up, with most of the equipment being donated, including a state-of-the-art hyperbaric chamber.
future U.S. Opens,” Poplarski says. “It’s great because we’re always looking to recruit DCs from the area where the U.S. Open is being held.” Almost all the care providers are volunteers, but they get a uniform and a free pass for the week to enjoy the golf in between their five-hour shifts. There is even some friendly competition among the chiropractors related to which golfers they are adjusting. “It’s exciting when a guy you are working with
Poplarski is fielding calls from chiropractors all over the country who want to join his team. Almost all the care providers are volunteers, but they get a uniform and a free pass for the week to enjoy the golf in between their five-hour shifts.
Dr. Poplarski’s U.S. Open Wellness team.
viding care not only for the caddies and the volunteers, but also for the golfers. “We really had to expand the facilities and the number of providers,” says Poplarski. Just seven years earlier, for the first tournament at Bethpage, the team consisted of 35 care providers. In 2009, there were 140 providers spread across three treatment centers——63 of which were chiropractors, because, according to Poplarski, “Chiropractic tends to be the most sought-after treatment.” In 2009, the team treated 118 caddies, 68 golfers and over 2,000 volunteers.
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Scripp donated adjusting tables, Earthlight donated massage-therapy tables and companies like Biofreeze have donated topical balms that are often purchased by patients after receiving care. Poplarski has been the U.S. Open’s Wellness Director for six of the last nine years, and he is fielding calls from chiropractors all over the country who want to join his team. “We’re getting calls from chiropractors in Virginia and Maryland who want to join us next year at the Congressional in Washington, D.C., and
that week is on the leader board on Sunday,” Poplarski says. “It’s like, ‘that’s my guy!’” Due to HIPAA regulations, Poplarski won’t say which golfers he has cared for; he will only say that, “I’ve never worked on the winner for that week.” So what does Poplarski get out of all this? “Pride” is his one-word answer. “I’ve always loved sports and I’ve always loved Chiropractic,” he says, noting that his U.S. Open arrangement allows him to have a hand in both. And by showing the benefits of Chiropractic and wellness to elite athletes, Poplarski believes many good things are in store for his practice and his industry. Someday soon, don’t be surprised to hear the U.S. Open winner say, “I couldn’t have done it without my chiropractor, Dr. Jeff Poplarski.”
ALUMNI
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LifeUniversity’sInternational AlumniAssociation Like any university, Life understands that its alumni are an invaluable resource. The individuals who graduate from Life not only help ensure the institution’s continual growth and advancement, but, more importantly, serve as the foundation upon which the university builds its legacy and its community beyond campus lines. In recognition of the need to support our valued alumni, Life University held its first organizational meeting of the Alumni Association on July 22, 1981, during the Life University 4th Annual Homecoming. The board quickly became very active, and at one time had a representative for almost every state in the U.S. The Alumni Association helped plan and drive attendance to Lyceum and Homecoming, hosted numerous fundraising events and initiated an annual scholarship. Following significant challenges to the school’s administration and programming in 2002, the alumni association became less visible and slightly fragmented. Last year, the alumni association was officially reborn, adopting a new name ——the International Alumni Association of Life University—— and a leaner board with a renewed enthusiasm for
connecting alumni with their alma mater. The association’s new leadership recently completed a strategic plan which will allow them to effectively focus their energies on improving the student and alumni experience, as well as expanding their reach even further. One goal that became very apparent during this process was that the association plans to be more inclusive of Life University supporters who are not necessarily Life grads. Additionally, the association plans to continue awarding scholarships, hosting events and raising money for the school. This year, one of the main goals of the board is to work on its communication with alumni. Other plans include engaging current students through various activities and driving attendance at athletic events.
Mission Statement: The International Alumni Association of Life University, in partnership with the Department of Alumni Relations, will continually create relevant and meaningful programs to serve students throughout every phase of their education and career, thus fostering lifelong participation and philanthropic support. Underlying all that we do is a commitment to the vision of Life University, Lasting Purpose and the core proficiencies that distinguish a Life education.
Vision Statement: Our vision is to create a culture that engages and empowers current and future alumni and friends “To Give, To Do, To Love, To Serve,” out of a sense of abundance.
Membership Upon graduation, you automatically become a Life alum; membership is free.
Benefits Networking with Alumni & Friends Alumni & Friends Online Directory Regional Events & Alumni Reunions Athletic Events News About Life & Chiropractic Research Email Communication Today’s Chiropractic Lifestyle Magazine Your Extraordinary Life Magazine Assistance for Your Career Continuing Education & Fall CE Event Career Support through the Career Services Office and the online job board
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ALUMNI
Meet
the
Executive Board of the International Alumni Association of Life University
relations, hear some of the best speakers in the profession and inspire doctors, teams and students to be more active in their communities and lives. “I was asked to join the Alumni Board in 2009 and immediately said, ‘yes!’ As a Life alumnus, this was a perfect way for me to stay connected to Life and get more involved in the amazing things that are going on here. There is so much excitement around the campus and so many positive things happening here that makes you want to be a part of it. Being connected with the Alumni Board has allowed me to get to know many of my future colleagues, and I am really impressed with the passion that they have for Chiropractic.”
the Philadelphia region and lectures extensively on topics such as natural health, nutrition, athletic performance and safety at the workplace. He regularly speaks with local students about pursing a career in Chiropractic. “I decided to participate and get involved with the alumni association for many reasons. I love and resonate with Chiropractic and the Chiropractic Principles. It is my belief that Life University will be——and is——the leader in Vitalistic thinking today. Society needs, now more than ever, what Life University teaches and represents. The alumni from this great institution will be leading this movement. I am honored to have been offered a leadership role in it.”
Bradley Anchors, D.C. Vice President
Stuart Katzen, D.C. Representative for Student Recruitment and Engagement
Dave Eugster, D.C. Representative for Philanthropy
Dr. Brad Anchors practices with his father at Anchors Chiropractic in Dunwoody, Ga., which has been serving the Dunwoody and Sandy Springs communities for over 40 years. Dr. Anchors also heads EPOC– Atlanta (now in its third year), a chiropractic philosophy group that meets monthly to improve doctor-to-doctor
Dr. Stuart Katzen graduated from New York’s Cornell University in 1993 with a bachelor of science degree. He continued his studies at Life College, graduating with both a Doctor of Chiropractic (Cum Laude) as well as a master’s in sport health science in 1997. Katzen is owner and director of two private practices in
Larry Marchese, D.C., FICA President Dr. Larry Marchese has served on the alumni association since he graduated in 1983. He currently runs a practice in Nutley, N.J., and lives with his wife, two daughters and a very spoiled dog. He is the New Jersey State representative for the International Chiropractic Association (ICA) and a chair of the ICA’s representative assembly. He is also a board member and the treasurer of the Council of New Jersey Chiropractors. “I joined because I wanted to stay involved with the school, stay connected with everybody and support the school. I enjoy the camaraderie of being involved and think it is important to support your alma mater.”
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Last Year, Dr. Dave Eugster moved from Lafayette, La., where he had practiced for 22 years, to his hometown in Wisconsin to be closer to his family. Though he still owns a chiropractic clinic in Louisiana, he has temporarily retired from active practice, and has been helping to coach a high school rugby team for the past two years.
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After graduating from Life University in 1984, Eugster felt a strong desire to stay connected and give back to the institution he felt had given him so much. He has been part of the Alumni Association of Life University since 1987. “It is an honor and a pleasure to be able to help shape and influence the policies and direction of the Life Alumni Association as well as Life University. There are so many great things that can be accomplished if we all get involved and work together. It often puzzles me why more Life graduates don’t give back to the university. They should know better than anyone about the principles of ‘Lasting Purpose.’ It is always a good time “To Give, To Do, To Love, To Serve,” out of a sense of abundance.”
Robert Shirley Love Student Council President Born and raised in the mountains of southern West Virginia, Robert Love never thought he’d find himself in Atlanta going to Life for a Doctorate of Chiropractic. After attending Washington and Lee University and having a successful early career in radio and television broadcasting, Love returned to complete his bachelor’s degree at West Virginia University, focusing on business administration, public relations and broadcast communications. From his exposure to non-profit work through broadcasting and his relationships with local ministers, Love followed a calling into ministry. After
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completing the candidacy process and Pastoral Ministry Licensing School through the United Methodist Church, Robert worked as a full-time pastor for two years and attended Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. in pursuit of his master of divinity. It was during his time at Wesley that Love found his calling to help and heal others, and was led to Chiropractic. Now in the Doctor of Chiropractic Program at Life, Love serves in a variety of capacities, including volunteering in the community, volunteering with the orientation program, working in the research department and serving as president of the Life student council. “This is my university, from which I aim to be an alum and look forward to coming back and enjoying for the next 50, 60, 70 years. Being a part of the Alumni Board is my way of ensuring those future good times with this community, starting now. As a student, I would like to have more contact and exposure to our alumni network, both to see success beyond Life and to know we have a Life family out there to support us once we leave.”
Leila Tatum Alumni Relations Manager and Alumni Board Secretary Leila graduated from the University of South Florida in 2001 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She is currently pursuing a master of business administration degree at Cameron University. She has worked in the human services
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and non-profit fields for a number of years. Tatum manages the Alumni Relations Department at Life and acts as the board secretary for the alumni association.
Gregory Harris Vice President for University Advancement Greg Harris graduated with dual master’s degrees in non-profit administration and business administration from the University of Cincinnati. Before coming to Life, he worked as the Chief Advancement officer at the Detroit Zoological Society. Harris is the head of University Advancement, which encompasses alumni relations, communications, creative and support services, development, events, marketing, post-graduate programs and web/social media.
The association is looking for motivated alumni and friends to help host events, contribute information for newsletters and magazine articles, attend events designed to connect students with alums, and help spread the word about alumni reunions. Interested individuals should contact Leila Tatum, Alumni Relations Manager at alumni@life.edu.
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Defender of Chiropractic: Luigi DiRubba, D.C. BY MOLLY DICKINSON IN 2005, WHEN A BILLBOARD PROCLAIMING: “WARNING: Chiropractic Adjustments Can Kill or Permanently Injure You,” appeared in huge, red and black letters less then six miles from Dr. Luigi DiRubba’s office in Chesire, Conn., the 17-year chiropractor and then-president of the Connecticut Chiropractic Council (CCC) immediately picked up the phone. Together, DiRubba, who also serves as the Connecticut representative for the International Chiropractic Associtaion (ICA), and fellow ICA board member (now CCC chairman) George Curry, D.C., coordinated a massive call-in campaign to the billboard’s operators. “We basically put a full-court press on the billboard company,” DiRubba says. “They were inundated with at least 200 or 300 calls in just that first day, and within the next 24 hours it was down.” “It’s false advertising. Period,” DiRubba says. “If that had happened with any other profession, I think the same response would have occurred. I actually think it would have been more of a national issue, and I wish it would have been treated as more of a national issue for our profession——because this affects all of us, not just Connecticut.” A few weeks after the ad came down, a new billboard proclaiming, “CHIROPRACTICisSAFE.org,” appeared in its place, approved by then-ICA President John Maltby, D.C. DiRubba and his colleagues’ triumph over the billboard marked the beginning of an ongoing battle between the organizations behind the ad——the Chiropractic Stroke Awareness Group (CSAG) and Victims of Chiropractic Abuse (VOCA)—— and members of the CCC and the Connecticut Chiropractic Association (CCA). In addition to the “warning” ad, the two anti-chiropractic organizations are responsible for multiple chiropractic stroke ads that have been appearing in local Connecticut newspapers since late 2003, as well as dozens Summer
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more ads on billboards, city buses, area Yellow Pages and local television commercials in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Despite the tireless anti-chiropractic press, DiRubba and his colleagues have succeeded in having many of the ads either removed or retracted. In March of 2007, the conflict came to a head when two women who identified themselves as being behind the stroke ads——Britt Marie Harwe and Janet Levy, who claim they suffered strokes as a result of chiropractic care——requested a hearing before the Connecticut Board of Chiropractic Examiners to demand that the state reexamine its informed consent law. “They tried to change the legislation in Connecticut to require DCs to inform every patient, during every
the informed consent law that doctors already abide by,” DiRubba says. Though he began the crusade, DiRubba expresses deep gratitude for the hundreds of Connecticut DCs who helped to represent the profession——making calls, attending hearings, educating patients and helping to fund the legal fight——efforts that are still needed as DiRubba and his colleagues prepare themselves to respond to their legal opponents’ next move. Immediately after the ruling, CSAG and VOCA began denouncing the hearing to the press as “a sham,” threatening to
Pro-chiropractic billboards displayed in response to the CSAG and VOCA campaigns.
visit, that any adjustment on their cervical spines may cause them to have a stroke,” says DiRubba. “All current scientific literature shows there is no cause and effect relationship between chiropractic adjustments and strokes.” Two years later, armed with scientific research, witness testimonies and a coauthor of a study on chiropractic care and strokes, J. David Cassidy, Ph.D., as their intervener, the CCA/CCC secured a four-to-one vote from the Connecticut Board of Chiropractic Examiners against amending the informed consent law. “The Board of Examiners found no evidence that chiropractic care is causing strokes, so there is no need to change
take the matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. DiRubba says he is hoping the case won’t go that far, but “if it does, we’ll go all the way with them.” Whatever new legal challenges they may face in the future, DiRubba is confident the chiropractic profession——in Connecticut and all over the world, if need be——will rally, fight and win. “Any time you have everyone getting together on a common issue——all organizations, regardless of their professional, philosophical or political beliefs——there is a phenomenal amount we can accomplish,” he says.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Scott Paton Dr. Scott Paton earned a bachelor of arts in chemistry from the University of South Florida in 1995 and worked as an environmental chemist for Westinghouse Remediation Services before committing his life to Chiropractic. After an initial adjustment relieved his long-endured lower back problem, Paton was motivated to research the profession and enroll as a student at Life University, where he earned a master’s degree in sports injury management and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree before
CLASS NOTES Dr. Joel Margolies (’78) distributes a free weekly email newsletter to nearly 5,500 doctors of chiropractic in 32 countries. The email covers chiropractic philosophy and serves as a general forum for doctors who are seeking employment or buying or selling practices, office space and equipment. To subscribe visit, chirosmart.net. Dr. Harvey Fish (’81) passed away Sunday, June 28, 2010. He is survived by his wife, Jane, his brother Gary and his beloved dog Ginger. His memorial service was held July 11, 2010. Condolences can be sent to: Dr. Jane Fish, Wetside Chiropractic, 594 Powder Springs Street, Marietta, Ga., 30060, or drjanefish@earthlink.net. Dr. David “Ike” Eugster (’84) recently lost his 25-year-old niece the day after she graduated from Washington University Law School. Our hearts and prayers go out to Dave. Dr. Jordan Howard Breslaw, Esq. (’85) has qualified to be a judicial candidate in the upcoming primary election in Broward County, Fla., held on Aug. 24. In 1997, Breslaw became the first Doctor of Chiropractic to become a member of the Florida Bar Association, and he is working toward his goal of becoming the first chiropractor/lawyer/judge
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graduating in 2001. While at Life, Paton served as head trainer for the men’s ice hockey team. During his career Paton has also worked as the team doctor for the South Atlanta Eagles minor league football team, as well as serving as the official team chiropractor for St. Leo University since 2004. Paton owns and operates Paton Chiropractic & Sports Medicine in Lutz, Fla., where he has made his longtime home with his wife and three children.
Paton’s book, “Health Beyond Medicine: A Chiropractic Miracle,” was published in 2009, inspired in part by the “chiropractic miracle” Paton experienced after adjusting his infant son, whom medical doctors had diagnosed with acid reflux disease and placed on medication when he was less than two days old. In “Health Beyond Medicine,” Paton diagnoses a health care system geared toward symptom-based care, shares the hope offered by alternative medicine and presents a “beyond medical” approach to total health and wellness.
in the country. The Broward County judgeship is particularly important to the chiropractic profession because the court is where all PIP lawsuits are filed. Breslaw would like to thank you for all the support you gave him in the 2006 election. With your continued help and support in the primary, his campaign is sure to be a success. For further information, contact JordanBreslaw@gmail.com.
as well as the ACA’s Florida Liaison. LeVine sends greetings and well wishes to all his former classmates, and encourages his peers to come by and visit him at the upcoming Florida Chiropractic Association convention, held in Kissimmee Aug. 26-29.
Dr. Robert Robideau (’85) was injured recently when he slipped and fell in his bathtub, causing trauma to his head and back. Additionally, Robideau is suffering from kidney and heart failure. He is currently receiving care at Northside Hospital, in Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Deborah Flanders (’86) served as co-class treasurer while at Life and was married to Dr. John Yarbrough (’85), who passed away in 1993. She currently resides in California and often thinks about her fellow classmates, especially Larry Cimperman, Agnus, Randy Ferrall, Lori and Mark. Flanders sends her thanks to the Nathansons for all they did to help her and John, and hopes all her classmates are doing well. Dr. Art LeVine (’87) was elected as the 2009-2010 president of the Florida Chiropractic Association. In addition to his presidential duties, LeVine has been named the Florida Delegate to the COCSA (Congress of Chiropractic State Associations),
Dr. Blaine O’Neal (’90) passed away after suffering a heart attack on April 9. O’Neal was the mayor of South Daytona, Fla., and is survived by his wife, Lisa, his 10-year-old daughter, Riley, and a 4-year-old son, Blaine. Dr. Timothy Dunne (’94) of Michigan is running for a seat on the Airport Community Schools Board of Education. Drs. Cathy Wendland-Colby (’99) and Norman Colby (’98) of Woodstock, Ga., welcomed a new addition to their family, Alessia Josephine, born May 28, 2010, weighing 10 lbs 3 oz. Congratulations!
DON’T BE SHY! We’d like to include your personal and professional news and photos in upcoming editions of Class Notes. Send your information to alumni@life.edu, or mail information and photos to: Leila Tatum Alumni Relations Manager Life University 1269 Barclay Circle Marietta, GA 30060
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LIFE RESEARCH UPDATE Your Extraordinary Life is proud to announce an ongoing series about the exciting research initiatives happening at your alma mater. Here is just a small sampling of what’s going on at the Office of Sponsored Research and Scholarly Activity (OSRSA) at Life University. Frederick Carrick, D.C., Donates CAPS Unit Dr. Frederick Carrick of the Carrick Institute recently donated a Comprehensive Assessment of Postural Systems (CAPS) unit to Life University. The unit measures whole-body responses to environmental stimuli, tremors, motor activity and all parameters of posture and stability. It is the most advanced and sensitive equipment available, and will provide Life with incredible research opportunities. “The CAPS will empower the faculty at Life to do research that is accepted and publishable in the mainstream,” says Carrick. “The results involve no inherent bias nor interpretation——just facts that are valid and approved by organizations like the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Life studies already planning to utilize the CAPS unit include investigating the results of chiropractic adjustments on the physiology of the body, such as blood pressure, oxygen saturation and balance, as well as neurological changes in all patients from infants to senior citizens. Pilot data will also be compiled regarding Chiropractic’s influence on the
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immune system, namely through its affect on patients with HIV, pneumonia, inflammation and fibromyalgia. Carrick’s gift doesn’t end with the donation of the CAPS unit; the faculty at the Carrick Institute will be assisting the faculty at Life and collaborating on groundbreaking biomechanical research on chiropractic patients as well as on chiropractors themselves. This affiliation will give Life’s students of Chiropractic access to additional highly regarded publications and respected journals. The Carrick Institute works closely with Harvard Medical School, New York Hospital and numerous other respected institutions, which means research-watchers may soon see studies co-authored by faculty from Life University and Harvard, for example.
“Wii-itis” Life University’s Dr. Drew Rubin recently concluded a case series on the latest
21st-century pediatric condition—— “Wii-itis,” as it is known in pop culture. Recently published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, Dr. Rubin describes four pediatric cases of overuse injuries related to playing Nintendo Wii in a recent issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. The case series centered on four pediatric patients, ranging from 3 to 9 years old, who had injuries with symptoms such as spinal pain, spinal joint dysfunction (chiropractic subluxation) and related extremity pain. Each of the four pediatric cases was evaluated and managed using chiropractic techniques. All patients successfully had their complaints resolved within one chiropractic visit. Though parents should be aware and alarmed by this growing condition, Dr. Rubin’s findings seem to show that “Wii-itis” is nothing a chiropractor can’t handle. And be on the lookout for the rising profile of similar technologydependent conditions such as “Nintendo DS neck,” “Carpal Texting Syndrome” and “Blackberry Thumb.”
Chiropractor Confidence Oftentimes, chiropractic research stems from a specific physical condition that a clinician might find interesting or intriguing. But what if you peered through the opposite end of the looking glass, and then flipped it over? Life University’s Dr. Debra Bisiacchi posed a unique hypothesis about the self-perceived confidence skills of chiropractic students. In other words, how confident are chiropractic students in their ability to evaluate, manage and adjust patients? Dr. Bisiacchi’s ACC-RAC award-winning paper was recently published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Through a basic technique review class conducted over three
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consecutive quarters, 108 students were surveyed on full-spine radiography (Gonstead-type) analysis, radiographic descriptive analysis, motion palpation analysis and manual full-spine and diversified-spinal manipulation. The
results are quite interesting, particularly with regard to spinal manipulation. Students were most confident with prone thoracic manipulation and least confident with seated cervical manipulation. With lumbar and pelvic manipulation,
confidence levels varied among side posture pushes, side posture pulls and prone setups. While confidence is a mental frame of mind, this type of research is invaluable to Life University as we continue to strive for clinical excellence from our students. Knowing in exactly which areas chiropractic students are lacking confidence allows university faculty to address these areas and hopefully improve student confidence through repetition, analysis and feedback.
Life Hires First Post-Doctorate Researcher
Maher and Carrick in front of the GyroStim.
Life Receives GyroStim Unit Life now boasts a GyroStim unit on loan from Ultra Thera Technologies and Kevin Maher, via the Carrick Institute. The GyroStim unit will allow Life researchers to take Chiropractic to the next level with regard to neurological rehabilitation. The advanced machine resembles a carnival ride, but it’s actually a state-of-the-art device with two rotating axes that allow clinicians to deliver up to 360 degrees of continuous, precisely controlled motions in the pitch and yaw axis. Meanwhile, the accompanying software automatically displays the profile parameters in table and graphical form for easy and accurate data collection. The GyroStim is an effective and precise way to stimulate certain areas of the brain and create synapses between lobes and across hemispheres. All the data collected will be applicable in addressing patients with conditions like autism, brain trauma, ADHD and vestibular rehabilitation. Imagine the possibilities this equipment presents for the profession!
Dr. Derek Barton, a March 2010 graduate of Life’s chiropractic program, has been hired as the university’s first post-doctorate researcher. Barton received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Platteville before he found his chiropractic calling. During his tenure as a chiropractic student, Barton was on a research scholarship at Life for two years. With his unique set of research skills and his technical background, Barton sees incredible potential for research using the newly consigned GyroStim unit, as well as the CAPS unit. He submitted several proposals for research initiatives centered on these two pieces of equipment and has been offered the postdoctorate position in order to move forward with his innovative proposals. Most major universities have multiple postdoctoral researchers on staff. There has always been interest at Life University to create such a position, and the Office of Sponsored Research is pleased that the budget now allows for this kind of academic exploration. Dr. Barton is thrilled with his new post. “This is a big step for Life,” he says. “As the university continues to emerge as a leader in health care, having a post-doc researcher puts us in line with other well-respected institutions.”
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STUDENT PROFILE
PEAKing in China BY MOLLY DICKINSON
For Andrea Czop, D.C., and Susanne McBride, a 14th-quarter chiropractic student, the journey to becoming chiropractors required a valid passport. Czop and McBride are two of six DC students who elected to complete their clinic internships in Zigong——the third largest city in China’s Sichuan province——this past winter quarter through Life’s innovative PEAK program. Standing for “Practice, Excellence, Art and Knowledge,” PEAK allows 13thand 14th-quarter DC students to gain real-life, hands-on experience in an established clinic setting, under the supervision of a participating mentor doctor like Jim Eaton, D.C., who serves as the PEAK doctor at Life’s clinic in Zigong. Life boasts an expanding list of PEAK clinic partnerships, with locations ranging from a few miles from campus to worlds away in Sweden, Ghana, New Zealand and China. Life also plans to add a Peru PEAK experience by the winter of 2011. Since McBride, 32, didn’t study abroad as an undergraduate, PEAK offered her the opportunity to “see the world”——or, at least, a different corner of it. “I saw this as my chance to travel, to see and do some things I had never done before, and to have fun while also helping to spread Chiropractic across the world,” she says. For McBride, “PEAKing” in China was the obvious choice. “I wanted to learn more about Eastern medicine. I have a background in massage and have always been really interested in Eastern philosophies related to health and the body. I also liked the concept of working in a hospital
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[Life’s clinic in Zigong is part of a Chinese hospital facility] where we would have access to that level of technology. We could order everything from CAT scans to diabetes testing to X-rays.” For fellow student Andrea Czop, choosing the perfect PEAK program presented more of a challenge. “It was a close call between China and Sweden,” says the 25-year-old, freshly minted DC, “but I’ve always loved Asian culture, and I thought it would be a great experience to actually get to live in China.” Knowing she’d have several of her Life peers by her side——“like bringing a piece of home with me”——was another deciding factor for Czop. After months of preparation and paperwork, the women finally made the more than 8,000mile journey to Zigong, where they would spend the next few months; Czop returned to the U.S. at the end of February, while McBride stayed through March. While in China, Czop and McBride lived in shared apartments in downtown Zigong, eating meals prepared in-house by their “ayí”——Mandarin for “aunt”——and catching the bus across the street for the 10minute ride to Zigong’s hospital. The chiropractic interns also had plenty of opportunities to explore the city——known for its stunning annual lantern festival, salt mines and wealth of dinosaur fossils——as well as must-sees in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and other popular cultural and historic destinations. But far
and away the most significant experiences for Czop and McBride were those they shared with their patients. Czop recalls one patient, a 5-year-old boy, whom the hospital doctors had placed in traction for three solid days to treat his neck pain and muscle spasms. A fellow intern, Megan Stephens, convinced his medical doctors to allow her to adjust him. “She had to really push and push to be able to care for him,” Czop says, “and after just one adjustment his spasms subsided, and after the next two or three adjustments he was totally functional. His mother would only consent to him coming in for five visits, but each time he came in after that second adjustment he was happy, jumping and smiling.” Both Czop and McBride were amazed by the presentations of illness they encountered in their patients——who were primarily low-income farmers from Zigong’s expansive rural regions. Osteoporosis, reversed cervical curves and straight spine in the neck and lower back are common conditions, likely the result of a lack of vitamin D (Zigong’s persistent haze clouds out much of the direct sunlight), heavy farm labor and the population’s penchant for extremely hard beds and highheeled shoes. However, the PEAK interns were even more amazed by their patients’ willingness to accept chiropractic care——Life’s clinic is the only chiropractic clinic in Zigong and one of the only clinics in all of China——and
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their devotion to their care plans. “I would tell them, ‘Do these exercises eight times a week,’ and they would come back for their next appointment and say, ‘Oh, I did them 10 times this week,’” McBride says. The level of patient dedication, coupled with the enormous support from the interpreter staff——who collected patient histories, translated all internpatient communications and findings reports, repositioned tables, changed face paper and regularly updated their knowledge of chiropractic and diagnostic terms——led Czop to admit that she and the rest of the interns were “pretty spoiled.” Even with the excellent translation services, however, there were still occasional miscommunications——many of which elicited some pretty good laughs. McBride recalls the moment when she and the other female interns finally realized that the “nickname” patients had for them——“Beautiful Girl”——was actually a conventional Chinese expression used to address a woman whose name you don’t know. “So, that was a little embarrassing,” she says with a laugh. Of course, there were other challenges, both large and small. The clinic presented its share of serious, difficult cases and cultural and practical lessons: The interns are now experts at palpating through multiple layers of sweaters, due to Zigong’s cold winters, and have learned how to phrase their questions in a way that elicits the most accurate responses from patients who think it impolite to “complain.” For McBride, who faced physical challenges as well, part of her journey was, literally, an uphill battle. “Through Life’s DC program, I basically became broken down,” she says. “It was very challenging for me academically and timewise——and also physically. I actually had two herniated discs, and was in and out of the hospital a lot throughout my program. And it all seemed to get worse right around midterms and finals, which just shows the affect that stress can have
on the body. When I came to China,” she continues, “I put myself back together. I came with that purpose in mind. I wanted to slow down and focus on healing——my patients and myself. I knew I couldn’t be a doctor and be healing people without healing myself first——and I did. I mean, I climbed a 10,000-foot mountain a few weeks ago [the interns’ travels led them to Sichuan’s Mt. Emei, the tallest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China], when in January I was in the hospital and couldn’t even walk.” McBride left China feeling physically, mentally and spiritually renewed, and even more resolved in her life’s purpose as a chiropractor. “China taught me to trust myself, to trust my training, to take my time, look things up and just to have confidence in myself as a doctor—— because that is really what we are at this point. That’s how I was treated; it was, ‘Here’s the doctor from America.’ It gave me so much confidence——we had a hand in helping so many people.” Czop agrees. “Working in China gave me the opportunity to have confidence in my own doctoring skills,” she says, noting how the openness of Eastern attitudes toward Chiropractic allowed her to fully own her role as a doctor. “In America, our patients are often filtered——they have already been through their primary doctor and then the specialists, and they come to us as a last resort. In China, they were coming to us right off the street. We had the chance to look at the patient as a whole and see what we could help them with and what we couldn’t.” But the biggest lesson Czop learned from her time in China is a much simpler, more universal realization. “I hope this isn’t too cheesy,” she says, “but I learned that people are the same everywhere. We might think people in China are different from us in America, but they really aren’t. They want to work, they want to provide for their families, they want to be healthy. They want the same things we want.”
Czop and McBride’s PEAK group in Zigong.
The clinic in Zigong.
Czop and McBride.
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Feeding His Curiosity BY LAURA NEWSOME
Dr. Wilfred Turnbull admits there wasn’t a lot of nutritional analysis going on in the town where he spent his childhood——just good food prepared in traditional ways. “I grew up in the northern, mountainous part of England,” says Turnbull, from his new office inside Life University’s freshly minted Department of Nutrition facility. “There wasn’t a whole lot to do.” Upon finishing grade school, Turnbull attended The New College in Durham, England, earning two associate degrees in the fields of hotel and catering management. After brief exposure to his chosen career, Turnbull soon realized that the hospitality business, a popular industry in the scenic, wild region where he grew up, just wasn’t for him. “I realized I didn’t really like it at all,” he says. Turnbull soon decided that a more scientific and precise profession would better suit his personality, so he crossed the English Channel, traveling all the way to Germany to earn a B.Sc. in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Bonn. Later, Turnbull furthered his education at Queen Elizabeth’s College in London, earning a master’s in nutrition, and then continuing on to earn a Ph.D. in nutrition science from London’s King’s College, where he served for many years as a research professor. With a hefty stack of degrees behind his name, Turnbull went north to
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become an associate professor and director of the Center for Nutrition & Food Research at Queen Margaret University College in Edinburgh, Scotland. After six years of teaching and conducting intense research, Turnbull crossed the Atlantic in 2000, taking a job as a visiting associate professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
“While I was there, a colleague let me know there was a university in the Atlanta area looking for someone with my exact credentials. They were seeking someone with a doctorate in clinical nutrition who had experience looking at the medical side of nutrition and its effects on complex diseases,” Turnbull says. “Soon after, I was sort of hunted down by Life University and that’s where I’ve spent the last nine years of my life.” As a professor of clinical nutrition and director of Life University’s nutrition department, Turnbull has developed a number of nutrition research courses for students of all backgrounds. “I teach a lot of courses to a very diverse student population,” Turnbull says. “We have students of every level and major, including chiropractic students, nutrition students and even undergraduates pursuing degrees in psychology and biology.” Students who have the benefit of taking one of Turnbull’s informative classes learn about all aspects of clinical and medical nutrition, including medical
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“We are currently developing a master’s degree in clinical nutrition, which would greatly increase our research activity,” says Turnbull, who adds that Life would be the only school in the Southeast, and one of the few schools in the country, to offer such a degree. nutrition therapy, obesity and diabetes treatment, vitamin and mineral consumption and life-cycle nutrition, as well as maternal, pediatric and geriatric nutrition. In addition to teaching and developing Life’s nutrition curriculum, Turnbull has served on and chaired numerous university committees and conducted groundbreaking research in a number of areas, such as nutrition’s relationship with premenstrual syndrome, appetite control, diabetes, glycemia, hyperlipidemia and childhood obesity research conducted in association with the Australia-based Fit2Play study linking nutrition and physical activity. “I am working on a number of research projects with undergraduate students, nutrition students and dietetic interns,” Turnbull says. Just a few of his current, student-led research projects include studying the effects of co-enzymes in red yeast rice and examining the effect of niacin on blood lipids, as well as studies on vegetarianism, mental disorders and their relation to nutritional intake, and athletic performance in males suffering from eating disorders. The nutrition department’s innovative research is aided by a brand-new, stateof-the-art lab stocked with nutritional supplements, patient examination rooms, scales, calipers, handheld calorimeters, blood pressure monitoring equipment and tools for taking blood samples, conducting dietary analysis and measuring body composition. Despite all the cutting-edge technology and research going on in Life’s nutrition department, Turnbull is always seeking out new ways to take his department to the next level. “We are currently developing a master’s degree in clinical nutrition, which would greatly increase our research
activity,” says Turnbull, who adds that Life would be the only school in the Southeast, and one of the few schools in the country, to offer such a degree. In the short-term, the department is hoping to apply for additional dietetic internship placements, looking forward to becoming fully operational in the new nutrition building and also researching innovative ways to offer more flexible, online classes for students. After the master’s program is accredited, Turnbull hopes to begin work on offering a doctoral program in clinical nutrition. In addition to his duties at Life University, Turnbull has served as a consultant for numerous health care- and obesityrelated organizations in the United States, the United Kingdom and Central America——UNICEF and the United Nations among them. Turnbull has also been the recipient of extensive research grants, serves on the editorial boards of many highly regarded nutrition journals, and has published numerous books, articles, studies and abstracts related to his wide-ranging nutrition knowledge and research. “I think I’ve had an interesting career,” muses Turnbull, “I’ve visited every continent——except for Antarctica— —either as a conference attendee or a lecturer.” Indeed, Turnbull has traveled all over the world, sharing the nutritional insights he has uncovered at Life University with academics and nutrition professionals in far-away places like Belize,
Czechoslovakia, South Korea, Hungary, Greece, Mexico, Canada, France, Austria, Australia, Sweden and Poland. Despite having such a decorated, globe-trotting career, when asked about his greatest accomplishment, Turnbull pauses for a moment and then acknowledges that he is most proud of his achievements here at home——building a nutrition program from the ground up at Life University. “My greatest accomplishment is getting to where I am today, as a head professor, which means I’ve reached the top of the ladder,” says Turnbull, who has come a long way from the serene English mountains of his childhood. “I love working at Life University——I get along so well with all of my colleagues. I’ve lived in a lot of places, but this is definitely my favorite.” And though the research humming along in his nutrition lab might appear to be some distance away from the chiropractic philosophy Life University is known for, Turnbull asserts that “nutrition has everything to do with living a holistic life, which is grounded in the principles of vitalism. We are always looking to improve a person’s medical status by changing their diet,” he continues. “Every area of disease——unless it is genetic——is in some way treatable with the help of nutrition. Rather than trying to create a cure, we are always looking for new ways to prevent disease, because prevention is cheaper and holds more promise for a patient’s future.” Finding holistic ways to treat illness and helping healthy patients stay that way through a natural, balanced diet——sounds very vitalistic indeed.
Dr. Wilfred Turnbull
www.life.edu
Summer
2010
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Mark Your PG & CE Seminar Schedule DATE JULY 10-11 17-18 24-24 24-25 31-Aug 1 AUGUST 7-8 7-8 14-15 14-15 21-22 SEPTEMBER 24-26 24-26 30-Oct 2
OCTOBER 8-10 9-10 16-17 16-17 22-24 NOVEMBER 6-7 13-14 20-21 DECEMBER 11-12 18-19
INSTRUCTOR(S)
Calendar PROGRAM
LOCATION
Dr. Jerry Hochman
Addictionology CCEP Mod VI Soft Tissue Addictionology Koren Specific Technique Pelvic & Cervical Anaylisis for Confident Adjusting
Las Vegas, Nev. Life University Campus Orlando, Fla. Columbus, Ohio Life University Campus
Dr. David Ward Dr. John Downes Dr. Jay Holder Dr. Tedd Koren Dr. Jay Holder
Neuromuscular Techniques for the Pelvic Girdle CCEP Mod VII Global Assessment Addictionology Koren Specific Technique Addictionology
Life University Campus Life University Campus Las Vegas, Nev. Philadelphia, Penn. Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Susan Brown Dr. Darren Weissman
Bio-Geometric Integration I The Lifeline Technique
Chicago, Ill. Rosemont, Ill.
Dr. Jay Holder Dr. Michael Krasnov Dr. Jay Holder
Fall CE Event Dr. Hussein Elsangak, Dr. Patrick Lee, Dr. John Downes, Dr. Deed Harrison, Dr. David Ward, Dr. Robert Fox, Dr. Dean DePice, Dr. Keith Rau, Dr. Stephanie Sullivan, Dr. Claudia Anrig, Dr. Ted Carrick, Dr. Bruce Bond, Dr. James L. Harper, Dr. Michael Tomasello, Dr. Jerry Hochman, Dr. Steve Garber, Dr. Laura Hanson, Ilana Katz, Dr. Chris Colloca, Dr. Roy Sweat, Dr. Angel Tribuno, Dr. K. Jeffery Miller, Dr. David Koch, Dr. Marc Sneider
Life University Campus
Dr. Darren Weissman Dr. Jay Holder Dr. Jay Holder Dr. Tedd Koren Dr. Mary & Renee Tocco
The Lifeline Technique Addictionology Addictionology Koren Specific Technique Hope For Autism
Sedona, Ariz. Las Vegas, Nev. Orlando, Fla. Bloomington, Minn. Atlanta, Ga.
Dr. Jay Holder Dr. Jay Holder Dr. Tedd Koren
Addictionology Addictionology Koren Specific Technique
Las Vegas, Nev. Orlando, Fla. Detroit, Mich.
Dr. Jay Holder Dr. Jay Holder
Addictionology Addictionology
Las Vegas, Nev. Orlando, Fla.
Alumni Events Date AUGUST 13-15 21-22 27-29 26-29 OCTOBER 1 1-3 1-3 8-10 16-17 16-17 22-24 22-24 NOVEMBER 11-13
Summer
2010
Event/Venue
Location
Day/Time
Florida Chiropractic Society Georgia Chiropractic Council Tennessee Chiropractic Association Florida Chiropractic Association
Breakers, Palm Beach, Fla. Loudermilk Center Franklin Marriott, Cool Springs, Tenn. Gaylord Palms, Orland, Fla.
Friday Dinner 7-9 p.m. TBD Sunday Lunch 12-1 p.m. Saturday Lunch 12-2 p.m.
Alumni Reunion Dinner Illinois Chiropractic Society Michigan Association of Chiropractic (Fall) Ohio State Chiropractic Association Assoc. New Jersey Chiropractors Conn. Chiro. Council N.Y. Chiro. Council Annual Convention Georgia Chiropractic Association
Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, Ga. Westin Chicago Northwest, Chicago, Ill. Convention Hyatt Regency, Dearborn, Mich. Columbus, Ohio East Brunswick Hilton, N.J. Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Conn. Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, N.Y. Marriott Century Center, Atlanta, Ga.
Friday 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. TBD Saturday Lunch TBD TBD Saturday Lunch TBD TBD
Canadian Chiropractic
Convention Sheraton Center, Toronto, Can. TBD
www.life.edu
Life University 1269 Barclay Circle Marietta, GA 30060
www.life.edu
Important Contacts Update Your Information: Office of Alumni Relations 800-543-3203 Make a Gift: Office of Development 800-543-3436 Order a Transcript: Office of the Registrar 888-423-5547 Volunteer with Student Recruiting: Office of Recruitment 800-543-3202 Place an Ad on the Website: 770-426-2700 or email careers@life.edu