Members of the United Nations NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations)
Health Committee are well-informed when it comes to most issues
involving women's health around the world.
However, few knew much about chiropractic or understood how
subluxations can affect women's health until the special presentation on
March 6, 2001 by representatives of the World Chiropractic Alliance
(WCA) and the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JSVR).
The two-hour program, "Perspectives on Chiropractic Care in
Women's Health and Quality of Life," was held in conjunction with
the NGO sessions during the 45th annual assembly of the Commission on
the Status of Women. The program was co-sponsored the NGO Health
Committee and the WCA, which was granted NGO status in 1998 by the
United Nations Department of Public Information.
Officers of the NGO Health Committee, physicians, and representatives
from developed and developing countries attended the session.
Veronica Gutierrez, D.C., member of the WCA Board of Directors and
Chair of the WCA Council on Women's Health, laid the groundwork for the
presentation by defining chiropractic terms, explaining the Association
of Chiropractic Colleges' chiropractic paradigm, and addressing public
policy issues. She also talked briefly about the WCA Council on Women's
Health, its mission statement and goals.
"To be able to talk about chiropractic...was an honor and a
memorable event," she stated enthusiastically. "We were
welcomed warmly and listened to intently. The audience followed up with
insightful and wonderful questions."
Dr. Gutierrez is the only chiropractor on the U.S. White House
Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy and also
presented information on the work of that group. She noted afterwards
that, while the group appeared interested in the Commission, the
information on chiropractic philosophy of health and wellness stimulated
the most interest and dialogue.
Exploring the topic in greater depth, Madeline Behrendt, D.C.,
Vice-Chair of the WCA Council on Women's Health focused on
chiropractic's role in women's health. Her presentation covered a number
of vital areas, including access to quality information, restoration of
health, wellness care and family wellness care throughout the various
cycles of a woman's life -- girlhood, puberty, teenage years,
reproductive years, menopause and beyond.
Dr. Behrendt (shown
at right) author of the practice manual, "A Woman's
Experience," recently published a commentary in the JVSR
titled, "The Role and Relationship of Chiropractic and Women's
Health Issues -- A call for Research."
Calling the presentation "a major highlight in my journey as a
chiropractor," Behrendt added: "The audience included a
variety of distinguished professionals interested in Women's Health, and
their response to our chiropractic message was exciting. The experience
reinforced my commitment to spread the life-changing message of
subluxation-based chiropractic to audiences from Boise to the U.N. --
and beyond."
Also participating in the panel was Theresa Warner, D.C., who
discussed vertebral subluxation and chiropractic care during pregnancy,
as well as the care of newborns and children.
Dr. Warner is co-founder of the World Children's Wellness Foundation,
a member of the WCA International Board of Governors, and a Total
Solution Presenter. Her column, "Children's Wellness," appears
regularly in The Chiropractic Journal.
Closing out the chiropractic session was Christopher Kent, D.C.,
WCA's main NGO representative. He discussed the World Health
Organization's definition of health, research on autonomic and immune
function, DNA repair, brain function, and health-related quality of life
issues.
"WCA is honored by this opportunity to bring our vision of
chiropractic to the international healthcare community," Dr. Kent
stated. "They are seeking what chiropractic has to offer: safe,
effective, non-pharmacologic strategies for improving
quality-of-life."
Kent is a member of the WCA Board of Directors and serves on the JVSR
editorial board. He is also the Director of Research for the
Chiropractic Leadership Alliance and recipient of "Researcher of
the Year" awards from both the WCA and the International
