I had the privilege this past spring of attending CMCC’s home-coming weekend opening luncheon.
I had the privilege this past spring of attending CMCC’s home-coming weekend opening luncheon. Recognized this year were former graduating classes – especially the class of 1961 – and the 50th anniversary of the passing of B.J. Palmer, one of the profession’s founding fathers. These 50-year milestones were recalled with a beautifully produced video, as well as speeches, that invoked a sense of the importance of the profession’s history – and how it fits into general history – but also an awareness of progress and preparedness for new challenges in the years to come. In his speech to the assembly of alumni, student council president Hafeez Merani pointed out that “CMCC houses the future of chiropractic.” I thought of how true that is, but also that much the same can be said for any chiropractic institution, be it another school, an association, or even one DC’s private clinic.
Indeed, every chiropractic endeavour has the potential to add to the profession’s progress and the opposite, harshly enough, is true as well. To quote B.J., “it is not chiropracTIC that fails, but the chiropracTOR.” And although that statement requires careful qualification, its overall message is clear – the responsibility to be an agent of growth for the profession lies on the shoulders of each of its members, without excuse or exception.
Granted, each chiropractor must carry out this responsibility in his or her own way, and the beauty of the profession is that many routes to being an active agent of growth have become available. (See our lead article, “A Global Journey,” wherein Dr. Gregory Stewart of Manitoba will expand on this point.) DCs may choose to become involved in education, or to become members of an association or college; they may choose to help develop the profession in another country where colleagues are struggling for legal recognition and a regulatory framework; they may enter into research; or, if a busy lifestyle leaves little time for commitments outside of practice, they may, instead, lend financial support to one or more of these efforts through a wide range of local and international bodies. Indeed, being an agent of growth may be as simple as finding the key to explaining chiropractic to prospective patients in a way that honours its essence, yet makes sense and is relevant to the community
in question.
Whether your own efforts are local or not, and even if they don’t seem significant on any grand scale, make no mistake, all efforts have a collective and global effect. Furthermore, your representative bodies are not distant, exclusive fortresses made up of an intangible “they” – they are chiropractors, just like you, who defined for themselves an area where they wanted to contribute, went forth and did so. They would welcome your support and/or help in their work as they strive to bring the benefits of chiropractic to as many people as possible.
The take-home message from any effort at collating the story of the evolution of chiropractic is that each DC is an integral part of the process. Never underestimate the influence that your vision, your practice, your support, and your involvement will have on your profession.
Indeed, each one of you houses the future of chiropractic.
Bien à vous,
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