People often ask me, because they know I am graduating what my plans are for post-Palmer.
One of the most common responses, like 90% of the time, when I tell people ‘I’m moving to Madagascar’ is… Jay, WHY Madagascar? I sometimes give a joke about ‘Well I hear it’s where a zebra that sounds like Chris Rock lives’ or ‘Lemurs need chiropractic too’.
The Serious answer is that there are nearly 20 million people on the island and a total of zero Chiropractors. There are medical professionals on the island, but they are very few and far in between. That’s 20 million people not getting the big idea, missing the most natural and conservative form of healthcare in the world, not having their nervous systems hooked up, I could go on and on. But this is only one part of the reason. At Palmer we have what is called the clinic abroad program. What clinic abroad does is it allows students at Palmer who are in clinic and practicing the art of Chiropractic already, the chance to practice on people who otherwise have no access to healthcare. It is a win-win all around because it allows us a studnets to get better FAST and it also brings Chiropractic into the communities of need.
Well at Palmer these is one woman who runs ALL the Clinic Abroad Programs and her name is Lori Curry. I had the privilege of traveling to Brazil in March of 2008 with Lori and a team of young future doctors to provide care. Oh course I fell in love with the work and decided I had to do it full time. So several conversations with Lori later (she BTW never really believed I would go until she saw it with her own eyes) Lori stated ‘Well Jay you know you could be the first ever if you go to Madagascar’. It all clicked for me then. The oportunity to serve humanity, the opportunity to trailblaze and bring this profession to the world, the chance to help Palmer students for years to come and most importantly these people who were getting care once a year perhaps twice (Palmer goes to Mg twice a year) could now have continued care. I was in full on.
Lori has been so supportive and so helpful with all my plans and ideas and helping me with logictics and getting gear down there and I can go on and on about how she has helped me. Bottom line, this trip is a no go without her and her planting… and watering this seed. Chiropractic as a profession has been in her words ‘very well received with the people always showing respect and gratitude for the students who come down and serve’.
Tags: Chiropractic, Madagascar
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