After being a patient during Clinic Abroad trips to
her native Fiji, Anjlene Prassad is currently enrolled
at Palmer’s Davenport Campus. |
For 6th Trimester Davenport Campus student Anjlene “Angie”
Prasad, the Clinic Abroad Program (CAP) was a life-changing experience,
but not because she went on a CAP trip—CAP came to her.
She was only 16 when the Clinic Abroad Program visited her
hometown of Labasa in Fiji. Without knowing what Palmer or
chiropractic was, she was one of the many people who went to
the clinic without having “the faintest idea as to the amazing
results that chiropractic provided.”
Growing up in a third-world country
did not allow for much knowledge of
medical care, let alone chiropractic. Now
that she had the opportunity, she asked
as many questions of the visiting doctors
and students as possible.
“I wonder whether they thought I was
crazy asking so many questions!” she
said. “I had seen so many things, like a
child suffering from cerebral palsy, and
wondered as to why it happened and if
he could be helped in any way. When I
started asking questions (of family and
other local people), the only thing I was
told was, ‘Oh, God just made him like
that.’ And that was all.”
“And then I watched the interns from
Palmer render the chiropractic care to
such kids and saw them giggle and smile
with gratitude after the adjustment,” said
Ms. Prasad. “It made me smile [to think]
how amazing and wonderful chiropractic
is and gave me the reason to pursue a
passion such as this.”
“It seems like just yesterday when I had
the first opportunity to meet the team
from Palmer at the clinic site in my
hometown in Fiji,” said Prasad. “As a
16-year-old girl, I was full of curiosity of
what chiropractic really was.”
She had never “stepped out of the comforts
of her home,” let alone traveled to
the U.S. before coming to Palmer. But
from the moment she started at Palmer,
Ms. Prasad knew she had made the right
choice.
“I have learned a lot of things and still
am learning,” she said. “I am grateful
that God gave me such an opportunity,
and I would do it again because it’s
worth the sacrifice to experience the full
deal of life.”
Does she plan to go on a CAP trip herself?
“Yes!” she said. “I am planning to
go to Fiji! I am excited because this time
I will have the experience to be part
of the team rather than just being a
16-year-old girl waiting to get my
many questions answered.”
Ms. Prasad also plans to preceptor in
Australia and practice there for a couple
of years after graduation. Then she
intends to go home and set up her own
practice.
“If I can actually bring a smile to a
child’s face with chiropractic care, then
I think I have accomplished the real
meaning of what chiropractic is all
about,” she said. “There are many things
that I want to do, and for that I think
Palmer has been a great experience and
I would recommend it to anyone.”