January 2004

The 2003 WCA Awards

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

Outstanding Service: Jerry Hardee, Ed.D.

When the movie "Braveheart" was released, it struck a responsive chord with many chiropractors. The story of an indomitable individual willing to take a stand against great odds was one that D.C.s could relate to. They saw a little bit of William Wallace in themselves, even if their battles took place in the minds of the public and the media rather than on the fields of Scotland.

If any chiropractor had a right to feel like the legendary Scot this year, it's Dr. Jerry Hardee, president of Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic. After the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) passed a statement on diagnosis that all but gutted the "Chiropractic Paradigm" that had won nearly unanimous applause from the profession, Hardee was the first college president to stand up to the group in opposition.

The ACC statement said that a chiropractic diagnosis included "obtaining pertinent patient history; conducting physical, neurological, orthopedic, and other appropriate examination procedures; ordering and interpreting specialized diagnostic imaging and/or laboratory tests as indicated by symptoms and/or clinical findings; and performing postural and functional biomechanical analysis to determine the presence of articular dysfunction and/or subluxation."

The original statement that had been reviewed by ACC members stated that the diagnosis may include those tests and examinations. Without that critical word "may," the statement could be interpreted as mandating all the tests listed. The final version of the text was presented to the presidents via a slide show in a darkened room and their signatures were gathered.

"To my chagrin, I noticed that the 'may' from the old statement was not transposed into the new statement. I subsequently tried to get my fellow presidents to correct (change) the definition to include the word 'may' rather than 'includes' in the wording," Dr. Hardee explained.

Despite protests from the Chiropractic Coalition (made up of the World Chiropractic Alliance, the International Chiropractors Association and the Federation of Straight Chiropractors and Organizations), the ACC refused to make the change, so Hardee withdrew his approval of the statement.

The courage that it took to face down the other members of the ACC has always been a characteristic in Hardee. He has amply demonstrated that trait to the chiropractic profession since 1985, when he served as a site visitor for the Commission on Accreditation of the Straight Chiropractic Academic Standards Association (SCASA), which was founded as an alternative to the Council on Chiropractic Education. He went on to serve as chairman of the Commission for four years.

In 2001, he showed extraordinary bravery in stepping into the shoes of Thom Gelardi, D.C., and accepting the post of president of Sherman College. Dr. Gelardi had no doubt as to his abilities. "I firmly believe the college has found in Dr. Hardee an outstanding leader who possesses not only a high level of integrity and strong skills and experience in higher education administration, but also an individual who has demonstrated over many years his unwavering commitment to Sherman College and to straight chiropractic," Gelardi said at the time.

It's a belief shared by all doctors who have known or worked with him. "He comes from integrity and an understanding of chiropractic that exceeds that of most chiropractic college presidents," Gutierrez stated. "I'd be proud to work with him on any issue relating to chiropractic, subluxations, and/or their correction utilizing the chiropractic adjustment."

Chiropractor of the Year: Leona Fischer, D.C.

When Leona Fischer, D.C., served as a medic in U.S. Navy Special Operations from 1988 to 1992, she had a tough job. Assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, she was awarded two Navy Achievement Medals for rendering primary care and triage to five Special Ops members who suffered severe trauma during a parachute accident. Her military service took her to assignments throughout the U.S., as well as Africa, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Bermuda.

But that was nothing compared to the work Dr. Fischer, a member of the WCA International Board of Governors, was called on to do when she accepted the appointment to serve on the Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Advisory Committee. Sitting opposite her were V.A. officials, M.D.s, D.O., P.T.s, and even a D.C. or two who were, at best, ignorant about chiropractic and, at worst, antagonistic. At stake was the fate of chiropractic care for almost seven million veterans served by the VA health care system.

In less than one year, this disparate group of individuals had to hash out the policies that would dictate the role chiropractors would have in that system, dealing with everything from scope of practice to direct access. It was a formidable task that would have been a challenge for even the most experienced chiropractic proponent.

Yet, Fischer was a relative newcomer to the profession, graduating just four years before her appointment. Some people worried that she would be intimidated by the other members of the committee, with their long list of impressive credentials. Obviously, those people didn't know Fischer and didn't realize that her years working with the Navy Special Ops teams had made her impervious to intimidation!

From the very start, she began to educate the non‑chiropractic members of the committee, explaining the chiropractic purpose of correcting vertebral subluxation and the unique role chiropractors play in health care. She won admiration ‑‑ and cooperation ‑‑ from many of them, but had to push continuously to make sure chiropractic was accepted as a full partner in the system.

Thanks in great part to Fischer's hard work, the draft report from the committee contained explicit references to subluxation as part of the definition of chiropractic scope, and allowed VA chiropractors to be graduates of schools accredited either by the CCE or other recognized accrediting agencies.

The only major battle she didn't win was for direct access. She and Dr. Michael McClean of the International Chiropractors Association were the only committee members to vote for direct access. The other committee members ‑‑ including the other chiropractors ‑‑ voted in favor of forcing patients to obtain a referral from a "patient's primary care provider or another VA clinician who is treating the patient for the condition(s) for which chiropractic care is indicated."

The direct access issue didn't keep the WCA leadership from recognizing her extraordinary abilities and accomplishments. If anything, her stalwart defense of chiropractic in the face of such opposition made her courage even more notable.

"She is a brave lady ready to do battle when called upon to support the chiropractic principle," said WCA board member Veronica Gutierrez, D.C. "Her work on the VA Advisory Committee has taken a strong heart and the work of a peaceful warrior."

Researcher of the Year: Madeline Behrendt, D.C.

When "women's health" became a buzz word in the 1980s, the medical and pharmaceutical companies responded by creating an entire industry of drugs, surgical procedures and even diseases directed at women. Everything from pregnancy and PMS to stress and obesity were labeled "diseases" to be treated.

Just as weight‑loss guru Susan Powter did with the diet industry, Madeline Behrendt, D.C., stood up and screamed, "Stop the Insanity!"

She argued, "The trend to categorize normal female body functions as diseases has generated billions of dollars for the medical and pharmaceutical industries, but has done little to solve women's health problems."

To make her point, she wrote a report for the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, which noted that even though "women spend three out of four of all health care dollars and determine many of the health care choices for their family," research into alternatives to drugs and surgery for women is lacking.

The paper examined the biases towards women's health in the male‑dominated research world and asserted that there is a growing resentment by women whose health problems are disregarded by researchers ‑‑ even as they are being exploited by the drug and medical industries.

Dr. Behrendt also urged all women and girls to be screened by a doctor of chiropractic for subluxations on a routine basis and emphasized the need for more research by the chiropractic community and the government.

The World Chiropractic Alliance distributed a press release on the report to thousands of newspapers and magazines around the world and news of the strong‑willed and articulate researcher spread quickly.

Behrendt, a member of the WCA International Board of Governors, began receiving requests for additional information and statements and was invited by WebMD ‑‑ one of the Internet's premiere medical news sites ‑‑ to write an article and share her ideas about chiropractic for women, to millions of readers around the world.

A regular columnist in The Chiropractic Journal, Behrendt chairs the WCA Council on Women's Health and was a member of the chiropractic panel that gave a special presentation at the United Nations Conference on Women in 2001.

But it is her work as a researcher that has made her contributions so unusual and valuable. By countering the medical and drug industry propaganda with hard scientific evidence, she has been able to gain attention and respect for chiropractic. In 2002, Behrendt was named Associate Editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.

"I cannot overemphasize the importance of what Dr. Behrendt is doing," stated Matthew McCoy, JVSR editor. "Not only is she compiling research data we would not otherwise have but she is acting as a model and mentor to other subluxation centered chiropractors. If she keeps it up she will literally create an army of clinical researchers for subluxation centered chiropractic."

As JVSR's Associate Editor, Behrendt has worked on, or assisted other chiropractors with numerous projects devoted to women's health and the sociological aspects of chiropractic, including the impact of chiropractic on battered women and the homeless. Her most recent work involved an exploration of the impact of subluxation and chiropractic on fertility.

Although the topics of her research projects vary greatly, the overriding purpose to Behrendt's work is to increase support for chiropractic research that addresses women's health issues.

"There is such a strong need for this research," Behrendt stated. "I asked 50 women in my community if they knew where in the spine the nerves to the reproductive organs are located. None of them had ever been told this basic information, but they all wanted to find out, as they knew it had implications for their health."

With Behrendt to lead the way, that research will finally be conducted and news of chiropractic's benefits to women will be known to all of them.

Humanitarian of the Year: Bobby Doscher, D.C.

"It isn't often we get to honor a Mother Teresa in chiropractic," explained WCA Board member Christopher Kent, D.C., as he cast his vote for Bobby Doscher, D.C., President and CEO of Oklahaven Children's Chiropractic Center.

The other board members agreed wholeheartedly and gave the "Humanitarian of the Year" award to Dr. Doscher in recognition of the 26 years she has dedicated to providing service to severely sick and handicapped children at the Center.

Originally founded in 1962 by a volunteer group of six D.C.s as the "Children's Chiropractic Center of Oklahoma," the Center was quickly dubbed "Oklahaven" since it did, indeed, serve as a haven for children and their families, many of whom had been dismissed by the medical profession as beyond help.

Doscher -- a Palmer graduate from Philadelphia ‑‑ joined the group in 1977, and she quickly became as much as part of the Center's life as the adjusting tables and teddy bears. She was later named President and Chief Executive Officer and continued the task of bringing chiropractic to ever‑increasing numbers of children.

Under her leadership, the Center expanded and its current home allows room for future expansion to serve even more children, to conduct research and to educate people about the benefits of a natural, drug‑free health care and the chiropractic way of life. Doscher and her staff have also traveled to Jordan, Guatemala and Mexico to bring chiropractic to children in those areas.

Oklahaven's fame grew as stories of the "miracles" experienced there spread through the profession. Over the years, Doscher has shared stories about the Center's successes, such as 11‑year‑old Mark, who had lived all his life in foster homes and institutions. His legs were bent and contracted when he first came to the center. Scars were reminders of operations to release his tendons that didn't help much. He clung to his walker for support and couldn't stand up without it.

Within a short time, he was taking a few steps on his own, and the number increased with each trip to Oklahaven. After only two months of chiropractic care, his foster mother told Doscher how the child's teacher had become concerned during recess when she saw Mark's walker ‑‑ but not Mark. Then she noticed him playing with some other children. He had forgotten to take the walker.

Despite the amazing results, the State of Oklahoma refused to pay for Mark's chiropractic care, a situation that isn't uncommon with Oklahaven patients and one that puts a financial strain on the Center.

To raise money, Doscher has had to be as creative as she is dedicated. Several years ago, she initiated the "Have a Heart" campaign. Each Valentine's Day, doctors around the world show patients a video about Oklahaven and give them the opportunity to donate to the center. The campaign has not only raised much‑needed funds, but has shared the chiropractic children's story with thousands of people.

"There are thousands of supporters and dozens of doctors and staff members who keep Oklahaven going, but the heart of the Center is Dr. Bobby Doscher," said Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., WCA president. "The WCA is honored to give this 'Humanitarian of the Year' award to such a compassionate and dedicated example of the best our profession has to offer the world."