At Life West, we focus on the idea of service. We serve our friends and families. We serve our communities. We serve the chiropractic profession.
When Life West goes to another country to provide chiropractic care – we do that in order to serve. We do not go with a “mission”. The idea of a mission seems to say that we know exactly what is needed. Instead we go to serve. We go to do whatever is needed in that moment to help others with the best talents and skills we have available.
In the past six months Life West has completed three different service trips. In November we went to India to serve at a spiritual retreat which was attended by more than a million people. In December we went to Bali and provided chiropractic care in remote areas with minimal access to health care. We returned to India to work with the same spiritual retreat in January of 2014. These collective service trips have created a tangible consciousness on the Life West campus about the importance of service as a cornerstone of chiropractic care.
Current student, Nick Baez, shared his take away.
“Seeing the power restoring the function of the nervous system has on an individual has solidified my conviction as a chiropractor. I believed the stories I would hear from chiropractors in the field, but seeing it first-hand has truly been something that will stay with me forever. Knowing when someone comes to my office with a subluxation, no matter what their symptom, I know that I can offer them the best chance they have to thrive, and have the confidence to tell them that.”
The students experienced real world cases far beyond their expectations and were able to see first-hand the innate power of healing following a chiropractic adjustment. They honed their skills as adjustors and as future doctors, but most importantly they honed their skills as connectors. They lived service.
Another student, Angel Ochoa, relates his experience:
“In hindsight, none of the so-called miracles we witnessed were miracles at all. What it showed us was that when interference is removed from the nervous system, and the brain and body connection is restored, the body begins to work in the way it is designed. We are fortunate as chiropractors to have the skillset to be able to deliver chiropractic adjustments that remove nerve interference, allowing the brain-body connection to flourish.
Of the thousands of people seen, nearly all showed some sort of improvement or “miracle”. In one case, after the adjustment, a patient started to walk after years of paralysis. There were also babies that were limp who then gained muscle tone after care. Countless patients kissed our feet which is a sign of gratitude in their culture. The love and appreciation that was shared was amazing. “
The Life West Community will be returning to Bali in June and will return to India this fall to continue the work we have begun there. We are in development of several other opportunities and have a monthly group which provides service to a homeless shelter in San Francisco.
Life West President, Dr. Kelly, and the Board of Regents support the importance of service as a fundamental element of the Life West education.
