The World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) announces the 1997 recipients of its annual Chiropractic Awards, given to honor individuals who have "advanced the cause of chiropractic around the country and the world."

Humanitarian of the Year: Dr. Luis Ocon

Dr. Luis E. Ocon of Salinas, Calif., whose chiropractic "mission" to Panama earlier this year provided adjustments to some 46,000 people, was chosen to receive the WCA's 1997 "Humanitarian of the Year" award.

Dr. Ocon recently returned from a second mission to Panama, where he and his wife, Lina, organized and took an international group providing chiropractic care to the people of their native country.

During the six-day trip, 96 chiropractors from the U.S. and Canada gave over 200,000 chiropractic adjustments in Panama City locations as well as in seven of the country's provinces.

The mission received support from the First Lady of Panama, Dora Boyd de Perez Balladares, who facilitated the involvement of the Panamanian government. This included assistance with transportation of the chiropractors within Panama, security and coordinating volunteer organizations.

Each day, groups of chiropractors traveled throughout Panama, to sports arenas, auditoriums, health centers and schools for disabled children. While most of the chiropractors involved did not speak Spanish (and most of their patients did not speak English), volunteer interpreters were on-hand to assist as needed.

No translation was needed, however, for the warm appreciation shown to the chiropractors by their Panamanian patients -- hugs and smiles are the same in any language.

When not traveling to Panama, Ocon runs a high-volume practice with the help of his wife and office manager, Lina. After graduation from Cleveland Chiropractic College of Los Angeles, he was nominated as the chiropractor to the Nicaraguan Olympic team (Barcelona, 1992) and also worked for the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health, providing programs for disadvantaged and challenged children.

Ocon, who said the Panama missions are both rewarding and inspirational, expressed gratitude that the World Chiropractic Alliance recognized his work. "In accepting this award," he said, "I also honor all those doctors who worked by my side during these missions, and those who will follow their footsteps in the future."

Chiropractor of the Year: Dr. Claudia Anrig

Dr. Claudia Anrig has been a practicing chiropractor in Fresno, California for the past 16 years. She is the co-founder of Peter Pan Potential, the first comprehensive pediatric program for the profession.

In presenting the award, Dr. Terry Rondberg, president of the World Chiropractic Alliance, paid special tribute to Dr. Anrig's work with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). She assumed the position as ICPA president upon the death of founder Larry Webster, D.C. "It is always challenging to coordinate the activities of a major organization," Dr. Rondberg noted, "but to have to take the helm under such difficult circumstances is a tribute to both the foresight of Dr. Webster and the talents of Dr. Anrig."

Anrig is also on the post-graduate faculty for Life University, Life Chiropractic College West, Palmer Chiropractic College, and Parker College.

She is a noted lecturer and author in the pediatric chiropractic arena and is presently co-editing the first pediatric chiropractic textbook, which is due to be released by Williams & Wilkins publishers in Jan. 1998.

Researcher of the Year: Dr. Larry Webster (posthumously)

Larry Webster, D.C., was know as the "Grandfather of Chiropractic Pediatrics" but his legacy lives on in his pioneering research work.

Dr. Webster established the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) in 1975 as an independent, non-political organization involved in research, training, and public education in the field of chiropractic pediatrics.

By this year, it boasted more than

1,200 members throughout the United States, Canada and several other countries.

Under Webster's leadership, the ICPA presented the profession's first chiropractic pediatric certification program in 1993 in Atlanta. Since that time, the certification program has been offered in Florida, New York, and Toronto. To date, over 200 chiropractors have completed the rigorous 10-part course, taught by the profession's leading authorities on chiropractic pediatrics.

The ICPA has also become the first full-time chiropractic pediatric research facility in the world. Funding for the ICPA's endeavors is provided through donations of chiropractors and their patients. Among the research projects being undertaken by the ICPA are studies on attention deficit disorder and asthma.

Webster was also well known as an educator, serving Life College as a pediatric instructor for 11 years, a clinic director for 11 years, and an associate professor. He also taught as part of the post graduate faculty of several chiropractic colleges, and lectured around the world.

In addition, the 1959 Logan graduate developed the Infant Toggle Headpiece, for which he held a patent. He was honored with the "Basic Technique Research Award" from Logan College of Chiropractic.

Webster died on February 7, 1997, leaving behind his wife Connie, children Pam and Lucinda, stepchildren Wes and Chris, as well as five grandchildren, a stepgrandchild, and a great-grandchild.

Outstanding Service: Dr. Herbert Reaver

The Chiropractic Journal published its first article about Dr. Herbert Reaver back in 1988. At the time, he was one of the "forgotten heroes" of the profession -- a pioneer who went to jail rather than give up chiropractic and who earned praise from B.J. Palmer himself.

But a new generation of chiropractors were stepping up, eager to prove themselves to the medical and scientific professions -- and just as eager to push the "old timers" like Dr. Reaver into the past.

They ridiculed Reaver, as they had B.J. and D.D. Palmer and so many others who had molded the profession's first half-century. Then, they ignored him, hoping to leave him behind in their race to the future.

Reaver wasn't that easy to ignore, however. Like one of those urban legends, stories of his escapades during the 1940s and '50s continued to spread, often sounding like exaggerated tales of some chiropractic superhero.

Except that the tales were all true! Reaver was, in reality, "the most jailed chiropractor in the United States." And his convictions weren't for insurance fraud, but for having convictions! In those days, the medical profession was using every trick they could think of to destroy the profession and having chiropractors arrested for practicing medicine without a license seemed to be a surefire way to close the profession down.

They didn't count on people like Reaver, who won widespread sympathy for his courage and persistent defense of the profession he loved so much.

Since that 1988 Chiropractic Journal article about Reaver's history-making past, he has enjoyed a "revival" and the profession has been rewarded by the presence of a man who embodies the very history of chiropractic.

One need only read from the letter he received from B.J. to realize how much Reaver means to this profession:

"I can't find the right words, or say them right, to express my deep and profound gratitude and appreciation for what you are sacrificing for people you have never seen ... which is my way of saying, doing what you are for the good of mankind in general. ...

"When one man will actually do such a deed, he is one in a million. Men generally are weak, they take (the) path of least resistance, slide the toboggan downhill, roll along with the mass ... Not so with you, Herbie.

"You are cutting a road for liberty of health freedom. Few such stand out but America has had a few. I love you, Herbie, because you love the things I love. If chiropractic had 1,000 men like you, we could lick the world and add one million years a day to many millions of people -- and what a world that would be to live in."

-----