Hundreds of military personnel get adjusted

Submitted by the World Chiropractic Alliance

During his 28-year career as a chiropractor, Peter Morgan, DC, has adjusted thousands of men, women, and children, but– unlike most of his colleagues — he often doesn’t even know their names. That’s because he cared for them during one of the 59 humanitarian trips he has made over the past 11 years, many of them sponsored and promoted by the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA).

“One of the key goals of the WCA is to develop, promote, and support humanitarian programs that reach out to populations that, due to geographic or economic factors, cannot access chiropractic care,” explained Terry A. Rondberg, DC, founder and president of the WCA. “During the past decades, we’ve been involved in mission trips from remote villages in Tibet to overcrowded tenements in the United States. We go where chiropractic is needed and people like Dr. Morgan are the heroes who get it there.”

Because of the devastating earthquakes that nearly destroyed Haiti in 2010, Morgan has focused particular attention on that country. This year, he took a team of 45 chiropractors and chiropractic students to URUBATT 2, the Haiti United Nations military base. They also had the opportunity to examine and adjust the entire 395 Uruguay military personal stationed at this base.

Some of the team stayed at the Mission Life International Chiropractic Orphanage in Haiti and others had the opportunity to teach the “Straighten up America” program to supervisors at the Codevi factory supervisors. Codevi — which manufactures clothing for Calvin Klein, Lee Jeans, and Timberland shoes — employs more than 10,000 Haitian citizens. “We examined and adjusted many of these employees and have been approached to create the largest chiropractic research study ever performed,” Morgan noted.

As a member of the WCA Board of Governors, Morgan works closely with Haitian health and government officials, as well as the departments within the United Nations. In December 1998, the WCA was named an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI). Part of his job is to make sure the chiropractic profession is educated on the global need for health care in general and chiropractic in particular.

Morgan also serves as President of Mission Life International and as an International committee officer for the International Federation of Chiropractors and Organizations.

Traveling with him on recent humanitarian missions has been Gary Deutchman, DC, President Scoliosis Care Foundation, Vice President Mission Life International, DPI/NGO Chiropractic Representative to the United Nations, Past District President  NY Chiropractic Council and Stephen Simonetti, DC, Vice President Mission Life International, DPI/NGO Chiropractic Representative to the United Nations,  Past President Congress of State Chiropractic Organizations, Past President NY Chiropractic Council .

After their stay in Haiti, the team spent four days in the Dominican Republic, where a team of dedicated Dominican chiropractic advocates generated widespread publicity, spotlighting the mission on television and radio.

“We got word to more than 50 pastors and priests throughout the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. When we arrived at the churches, thousands of people were lined up waiting to be adjusted,” the New York-based doctor explained.

He added that, “At the schools, we teach Straighten Up America and check all the children. Our team sees approximately 6,000 people a day – 6,000 people a day for 8 days. We not only check and adjust the people, we tell the chiropractic story to groups of 50 at a time. This is some awesome and fun work. Giving for the sake of giving, giving out of our own abundance. Using the blessing that God bestowed upon us – our healing hands.”

He’s back in New York now, but receives daily phone calls and e-mails from Haiti, all echoing their pleas of “… don’t forget us… help us… please, please.” He’s often awakened in the middle of the night. “A nightmare?” he asks. “No, a Haitian reality.”

Before he embarks on another mission, he makes a plea of his own, for food, clothing, money, and support of any kind. “We thank all the people who have donated to our Mission Life International orphanage over the years, especially to the 2,500 chiropractors who have joined me over the last 11 years on these 59 chiropractic mission trips.”

To learn more about these missions, or to sign up for an upcoming trip, visit missionlifeinternational.com or call 404-786-2014.

SIDEBAR:

In addition to his own pleas, Dr. Morgan was asked by Colonel Raul Passarino, the United Nations Military Commander in Haiti – who has been under chiropractic care for many years—to pass the following information along to all his fellow chiropractors.

The mission of the United Nations for the stabilization of Haiti, called Minustah, was launched in 1993 and ran from 1994 to 2001.

In 2004 there was political crisis in Haiti with an armed outbreak. That’s when the United Nations Haitian police was created.  President Aristide left the country. On the 29th of February, the acting president assumed power and requested United Nations assistance, authorizing the entry of United Nations troops in Haiti.

The Security Council approved the recommendations of the secretary general for the installation of a multidimensional mission, and the Minustah mandate was established to secure and stable environment in which the political process can develop. To strengthen Haiti’s governmental institutions and assist in the reinstatement of the rules of law, as well as promote and protect human rights.

The current United Nations personnel deployed in Haiti consist of 8.720 soldiers and 3, 550 police, supported by 510 international staff, 1.214 national staff, and 231 UN volunteers.