Dr. Sportelli makes case for
chiropractic’s cultural authority
Opening Day of Palmer Homecoming on the Davenport Campus
was launched by Louis Sportelli, D.C., president of NCMIC
Group, Inc., who gave an inspiring and thought-provoking
keynote presentation. He made an impassioned plea for chiropractors
to develop higher standards of professional behavior in order
to establish chiropractic’s cultural authority, once and for all.
“Cultural authority is given to the profession by society,” he told
the audience. “It’s a privilege and an individual responsibility.
Thus far, chiropractic has begun to gain cultural authority through
patient support and political lobbying. We need to do more in
scholarship and research to truly establish cultural authority.”
After taking the audience on a journey through the cultural
and chiropractic highlights of each decade from the 1960s
through now, Dr. Sportelli observed that, for the first time,
chiropractic is establishing cultural
authority. But, he cautioned,
there is a great deal of
work still to do. Quoting James
Carville, he said, “If you’re not
at the table, you’re on the
menu. Chiropractic can get to
the table,” he added, “through
more research, colleges taking up leadership roles and political
unity. Also, those chiropractors who violate ethical procedures
need to be exposed.”
“Cultural authority has many advantages for the profession,”
Dr. Sportelli concluded. “It gives us autonomy, self-regulation,
primary contact, the title ‘Doctor,’ the right to diagnose,
and respect from patients and the public we serve.”
Jeffrey Zaslow speaks from the heart
Alumni and other attendees were treated to a presentation by
Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffrey Zaslow on the second
day of Homecoming. In his opening remarks he noted that
he writes about the business of the heart for a publication
known for writing about the business of business.
Mr. Zaslow is also the co-author of the current international bestseller,
“The Last Lecture,” which is based on Carnegie Mellon
University Professor Randy Pausch’s final class lecture.
When Mr. Zaslow began writing the book, Mr. Pausch was dying
of pancreatic cancer and only had months to live. But he did not
waste them feeling sorry for himself; he lived them to the fullest
with his wife and three children. Even when he gave his famous
last lecture at Carnegie Mellon, it was videotaped with the main
purpose of it being played for his children when they grew older.
After learning about Mr. Pausch’s story, Mr. Zaslow spoke to
him and knew he had to go see this lecture in person and
cover his story for the newspaper. Not long after, he and Paush
decided to write the book together—with the caveat that the
process not interfere with the
precious time he had to spend
with his family. Mr. Zaslow
honored the request,and they
spoke only on the phone while
Mr. Pausch (using a headset)
did his daily one-hour bike ride.
Fifty-two biking hours later,
they had a book.
“I’m always looking for a good
story,” said Mr. Zaslow. He recalled
being at Disney World,
standing by Walt Disney’s statue
and asking children who they
thought the statue depicted. Answers ranged from “he lives with
Mickey Mouse” to a child who said Mr. Disney died of a heart
attack on Space Mountain.
To see Mr. Pausch’s final lecture, go to YouTube and type
“Randy Pausch Last Lecture” in the “Search” field.
‘Biggest Loser’ trainer:
‘Be the Best You Can Be’
Bob Harper, a fitness trainer on
NBC-TV’s “The Biggest Loser,”
hit the Lyceum Auditorium
stage in Vickie Anne Palmer
Hall with contagious enthusiasm
during Homecoming’s closing
session. He shared a little
about the show, his thoughts on
living a healthy lifestyle, the benefits he has received from chiropractic
care, and the difference between training everyday people
who are overweight and already-fit celebrities.
“One thing I’ve learned from doing the show is that there is much
more of an emotional connection to their weight,” said Harper of
the contestants he works with. “I had to learn why it is that they
do what they do and what their relationship to food was.”
The idea of instant gratification had to be removed as well
as that of fad diets. There is so much information out there
that is misleading, he noted.
“The focus needs to be on being the best you can be rather
than focusing on the ideal of what they should be. Work with
what you’ve got,” he said. “It is my job to help you decide that
you are worth enough.”
During the Q&A portion, the big advocate of starting and
maintaining an ongoing exercise regime was asked if he still
sees a chiropractor regularly. Mr. Harper responded that once
he felt better after seeing his chiropractor, he didn’t feel the
need to go back. This led to a lot of good-natured ribbing
from the audience, to which he laughed and said, “Touché!
Okay, okay, I’ll go get adjusted!”
Ceremony honors nine new Fellows
This year’s Alumni Luncheon recognized alumni who had
shown great devotion to chiropractic by inducting them into
the Fellows of the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic.
The induction ceremony was a moving and inspiring part of the
Alumni Luncheon. Davenport Campus President Donald Kern,
D.C., presided, with then Vice Chancellor for Academics Dennis
Marchiori, D.C., Ph.D., and Palmer Board of Trustees Chairman
Trevor Ireland, D.C., also participating.
Above, Dr. Kern acknowledges seven of the nine new Fellows
recognized that day. From left, Rolf Peters, D.C., Davenport
’58, M.C.Sc., FICC, FACC; Jerry Gerrard, D.C., Davenport
’72; Craig Gilbaugh, D.C., Davenport ’83, CCSP, DABCI; Randy
McCall, D.C., Davenport ’77; Kirk Steketee, DC., ’86, LCP (Hon.)
and Kari Swain, D.C., Davenport ’95, D.C., Ms. Mary Ann Zogg,
Beth Zogg, D.C., and Lance Vanderloo, D.C., Davenport.
Dr. Rolf accepted the Fellow award for his
wife, Mary Ann Chance, D.C., Davenport
’59, FICC, FACC, while Ms. Zogg and Dr.
Zogg accepted the honor for their father
and grandfather, respectively, J. Clay
Thompson, D.C., Davenport ’44.
“Membership as a Fellow in the Palmer
Academy of Chiropractic is a distinct
privilege and honor, and the men and
women being inducted today are leaders
in the profession and their communities,
as well as supporters of Palmer
College,” Dr. Kern said. “Their duty as
Fellows is to promote the future of
chiropractic, to engage in discussions
of chiropractic’s role in society and to
support Palmer College of Chiropractic
in every way that they are able.”