On the Field - Life Chiropractic College West

VO L 36 | I S S 1
On the Field
Chiropractors
in Pro Sports
IN THIS ISSUE
The
Art and Pursuit of Service | The 10,000ft View of World Spine Day | Hawk Talk Takes Flight
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
CONTENTS
LIFE STYLES MAGAZINE | VOLUME 36, ISSUE 1
Publisher
Executive Editor
Dr. Brian D. Kelly
Mary Lucus-Flannery, DC
Managing Editor
Diana Rohini LaVigne
Creative Director
Kyle Glenn
Lead Designer
Steven Sarmiento
Contributing Writers
Ariackna Alvarez
Jim Hawkins
Nancy McKillican
Dan Murphy
Richard Doss
Advertising
Editorial Board
Design Partner
Board of Regents
Main Contact
ad@lifewest.edu
Kyle Glenn
David Hohl
Dr. Brian D. Kelly
Diana Rohini LaVigne
Mary Lucus-Flannery, DC
Shareen Ram
2 PRESIDENT ’S COLUMN
New Textbook on Subluxation
3
5 2014 Chiro’ Games
7
Life Starts at 40:
An Interview with Dr. Robert Anderson
8
Rugby Visions
9
The Art & Pursuit of Service
11
Mazzarello Media & Arts
Joe Awender, DC, Chairman
Dave Butters, DC
Tom Fritz, MPA
Kristen Giles, DC
Gus Gottschalk, BASc
Mark Kimes, DC
John Layman, Esq.
Ron Oberstein, DC
Jeanne Ohm, DC
Paul Reed, DC
Armand Rossi, DC
Steven Silk, DC
Scott Turner, CPA
Jimmy Nanda, DC
Life Chiropractic College West
25001 Industrial Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94545 USA
+1.510.780.4501
info@lifewest.edu
www.lifewest.edu
@LifeWestChiro
LifeChiropracticCollegeWest
LifeWestChiropractic
life_west
tinyurl.com/lifewestlinkedin
The 10,000 Foot View
of World Spine Day
COVER STORY
On the Field:
Three Chiropractors Talk About
Their Role in Pro Sports
18 The Latch Family Legacy
20 ALUMNI NE WS
Coming Full Circle, Motivated to Motivate,
Alumni Awards, In Memoriam
22
Hawk Talk Takes Flight
23 Champions for Life
24 BOOK RE VIE W
The Wahls Protocol
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
New Textbook
Explores the
Dramatic Effects
of Chronic
Subluxation
By Dr. Brian D. Kelly, President
It is remarkable that the term subluxation has been banned at some
chiropractic colleges, and not so long ago, there was a major issue
about even using the term subluxation in accreditation documents
here in the United States.
There are two realities. The first is the World Health Organization
(WHO) perspective, and the second is the prospective of millions of
chiropractic patients around the globe.
The analysis of the spine is central to the practice of chiropractic
even in the WHO document, entitled ‘Basic Training and Safety in
Chiropractic’. The WHO, in describing chiropractic, states, “There is an
emphasis on manual techniques, including joint adjustment and/or
manipulation, with a particular focus on the subluxation.”
Interestingly, it also states, in describing chiropractic practice, that subluxation “emphasizes the conservative management of the neuromusculoskeletal system, without the use of medicines and surgery.”
I say, enough said.
What is truly incredible about this movement is the shift in a number
of chiropractic circles away from subluxation. People have criticized
the CCE for their part in this ill-founded movement; others have
blamed the schools; and others see the “insurance-ization” of chiropractic as the enemy.
I would suggest that it is an issue of philosophy and science – and a
very different view and understanding of the purpose and practice
objective of chiropractic. Not to mention applying what we currently
know about neurology.
As a profession, the reality is that we seemed to have moved further
way from the spine, further away from the nervous system and, in general terms, chiropractors appear less concerned about the spine and
are consequently less specific at analyzing and adjusting the spine.
And the loser in this - is the people we serve and their health and
well-being.
In my career, I always looked to move towards the subluxation. When
I practiced for over a decade in Australia, I was always looking for
where the primary subluxation in my patients was located, and how I
could as efficiently, artfully and as gently as possible correct this.
When I was president of the Australian Spinal Research Foundation
(ASRF), we raised money and invested in research projects that
explored the subluxation. Today, the ASRF is stronger and is more
committed to this goal than ever. The reality is that if we don’t
research it, who will?
During my time at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic, I
recruited Dr. Heidi Haavik, who has now risen to be one the leading
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
neurophysiology researchers understanding the effects of subluxation and adjustments on brain function. It is important to support
books on this research.
We are pleased to launch a book revision by Life West professor,
Dr. Bill Ruch, which explores the effect of subluxation chronicity on
the osseous and soft tissue structures in the body. It is a text that not
only puts the idea of subluxation in clear prospect, but does so by
visually showing the subluxations affecting the human body.
The Atlas of Common
Subluxations of the Human
Spine and Pelvis, second
edition, is an important text
for chiropractors, educators
and students worldwide.
The first edition was published over 15 years ago.
Dr. Ruch has collaborated
with Life West in this project
and together we produced
a book under our new venture, Life West Press.
For the book research,
Dr. Ruch went into the
anatomy lab and looked at
the spines of cadavers of
people of various ages.
He imaged them using
plain film radiography and
then sectioned them and
photographed the inside view to understand what was happening
inside the spine.
The results are dramatic. They demonstrate the effect of uncorrected
spinal damage on the spinal cord, the shape of the canal, and, consequently, the flow of CSF.
The second edition is in color and includes MRI images and a brand
new chapter on the rib cage.
A book on subluxation matters for every chiropractic patient. There
is a tendency in some chiropractic practices to default to how a
person feels. If they are feeling better or are asymptomatic, the
assumption is that the care is complete and there is no further need
or justification for care.
Well, what about spinal subluxations that are not corrected, where
the spine hasn’t been restored to full function? What is the long term
effect not only on a person’s spine, but on their life?
At a time when a segment of the profession is saying subluxations
are a historical concept or that there is limited evidence, we would
like to invite you to purchase a copy of this landmark text, study it
and formulate your own opinions. Study the effects of chronic subluxation where the body hasn’t adapted to external forces and has
not had the proper care to improve spinal function.
This is an important juncture in our profession and you will have the
opportunity to share this knowledge with your patients. In fact, in the
late 1990’s, I was using the first edition of this text in my patients’ report
of findings to better communicate what was potentially occurring in the
spine when compared to a patient with similar x-ray damage.
The book is available on Amazon. Enjoy the read.
2
the 10,000 FOOT view
of WORLD SPINE DAY
What’s that up in the sky? The sun? A bird? No, it’s a plane with
a banner promoting spinal health and Life West! Our bannercarrying plane flew above the city of San Francisco, during rush
hour and over a playoff game for the World Series Champion
team, the San Francisco Giants.
Every year, the World Congress of Chiropractic Students (WCCS)
promotes a community event called World Spine Day. The goal
is for each of the participating chiropractic schools to create a
promotional campaign to reach over 100,000 people in a single
day. The purpose is to engage chiropractic students in a project
to promote spinal health and chiropractic to a broader audience.
Many chiropractors can relate to the experience of reaching out
into a broader community to spread awareness of the importance of the spine. People do not know how their spine and
nervous system relate to their overall health and wellness. This
is not a new challenge for chiropractic and this has been an
on-going obstacle for the entire profession.
The students at Life West dreamed big as they planned for
World Spine Day 2014. They created an outstanding community
project and on October 16, 2014, the Life West campaign was
launched. The campaign included:
• Arial promotion flying our banner over the city of San Francisco and the East Bay for two hours
• Team of 41 volunteers on the streets of San Francisco
engaging the public in spinal health related performance art,
spinal hygiene exercises, social media spinal health awareness
campaigns and public education
• Community Awareness Campaign composed of posters
distributed over the city of San Francisco and all along the
East Bay
• Free Spinal Screenings in Life West Heath Center
• World Spine Day Press Release sent to local news outlets
How do we reach a broader audience?
Chiropractic has a history of finding unique ways to reach out
and educate the public. Recognized as the founding father of
chiropractic, BJ Palmer used his radio station and publishing
connections to create public chiropractic awareness campaigns. Dr. Leo Spears, the chiropractic pioneer who developed
the largest chiropractic hospital in the world, shared videos
showing the outcomes of chiropractic care. The creator of the
Gonstead technique, Dr. Clarence Gonstead used his engineering knowledge to find new ways to explain chiropractic to
huge audiences. He built a world class clinic around a unique
chiropractic community which boasted a hotel and airstrip in
Mount Horeb, Wisconsin.
Dr. Rand Baird of The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC)
announced Life West as the 2nd place winners of the global
completion held on World Spine Day. Winners appeared in the
December issue of WFC’s Quarterly World Report and receive a
$500 prize. How did they do it?
3
It is always great to demonstrate proper spinal alignment.
L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
He said, “I realized how important it is to have fun and to be
able to adapt at events like this. We modified our program on
the street a couple times to best suit the needs of our participants. This adaptability was key to our success that day
and I believe it made us more accessible overall to those that
stopped to participate. I enjoyed seeing that lesson play itself
out on the ground, especially in light of our primary mission as
chiropractic students and chiropractors, which is to help the
body and people to more effectively adapt.”
The Life West team communicated directly with with over 500 people and
were witnessed by over 10,000.
In our estimate, we communicated directly with over 500 people and were witnessed by over 10,000 (including foot and automobile traffic). With our airplane advertisement, we estimate
we reached in excess of 800,000. Overall, our campaign reached
approximately one million people in a single day.
Overall, our campaign reached approximately one million people in a single day.
Chiropractic promotion is valuable. The chiropractic community
makes new connections in our geographic area and the broader community. We need to get in touch with our audience and
see things through their eyes in new ways. We need to learn to
communicate more effectively. And we get to experience the
joy of serving.
He discovered that showing, instead of telling, was an effective
means to begin a conversation. The Life West street team found
that the performance art piece, in which the students reenacted
varying degrees of spinal decay, was very effective in drawing
people into the conversation. When they communicated from a
place of love and service, they connected with more people.
We promote chiropractic every day. We educate about the
value of the nervous system and spinal health. But we need to
connect with more people.
Here are some thoughts to get your creative juices started. Can
you create a successful promotion that will reach tens of thousands of people? What do you do when the people come in to
see what is happening inside your office? How do you deliver
the most important message of your career?
Every day is World Spine Day in a chiropractic office. How high are
you flying your banner? If we work together, anything is possible.
PHOTOS BY KYLE GLENN
Life West students gained valuable insight into the challenges and benefits of communicating chiropractic to the public
during this project. They discovered that spreading our good
word was not always easy and that sometimes people are reluctant to be educated by someone they don’t know.
World Spine Day volunteer and Life West student, Justin Jobelius shared his experience with Life Styles Magazine.
Their social media helped carry the message far and wide.
Chiropractic performance art on the streets of San Francisco, California.
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
4
THE 2014 CHIRO’ GAMES
Let the Games Begin
By Richard Doss
Twenty-five Life West students left the Hayward campus on
October 31st to head to the 2014 Chiro’ Games in Cocoa Beach,
Florida. Life West hadn’t participated since 2001 at the Chiropractic Games, which were started in 1992 and have become an
annual tradition and a highlight of the academic year for many
chiropractic students.
With a strong passion and school spirit that quickly spread beyond their own team, the Life West teams showed great athleticism, sportsmanship and professionalism on their way to many
victories, accolades and complimentary remarks. We won some
games and proud of our performance. All are looking forward to
participating in 2015.
Upon arriving in Cocoa Beach, the Life West crew were welcomed
by hurricane-like winds and subjected to flying dirt and salty
food but the tough conditions did not dishearten our athletes.
Each of the three Life West teams fought hard despite being
severely undermanned and understaffed.
Jackie Biron, Director of Student Life, said “I have a new respect for
all of the student athletes that represented Life West at the 2014
Chiro’ Games. They have renewed the good reputation of our
school. I am very proud of the way they handled themselves.”
Many opponents had large numbers of substitute players and
Life West teams often had only one; however we thrived. It was
from these challenges that unity amongst our teams developed.
As fatigue and exhaustion set in from playing three games a day
with few breaks, our three teams began to act as one.
PHOTOS BY RICHARD DOSS
Then the magic began. During the short breaks between matches, each Life West team headed to the games of its colleagues to
cheer them on. It was immediately evident to everyone that the
constant, enthusiastic support that came from all 25 participants
would be the only way the athletes would make it through the
weekend. The pathway to success was clear to all — unity.
5
THIS PAGE — Twenty-five Life West students and a few staff members set off
from the Hayward campus to head to the 2014 Chiropractic Games.
OPPOSITE PAGE — TOP: Life West teams showed great athleticism,
sportsmanship, and professionalism. | MIDDLE LEFT: Jackie Biron, Director
of Student Life, travels with Life West Students to watch them compete.
MIDDLE RIGHT: Life West teams found the pathway to success was through
their unity. | BOTTOM: Life West won some games and came home proud
of their performance and looking forward to participating in 2015.
L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
6
Life Starts at 40
AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. ROBERT ANDERSON
LIFE WEST CLASS OF 1988
By David Hohl
ant today will come back later he offers. Dr. Anderson especially
recalled his favorite teacher, Dr. Sue Ray. She pushed him to go way
beyond his comfort zone and because of instructors like her he
actually learned how to think.
Robert always asked plenty of questions and challenged teachers
till he got an answer he could understand.
When in clinic, Dr. Anderson would go out into his community
outside the college and seek out potential patients. He talked to
people daily about chiropractic and told them how they can benefit from it. He treated clinic as if it was his own practice and actively
went out to into the field to market it.
The Joys of Practice
In 1990, Robert started his first practice in Oakdale, CA. His first
year was hard and he didn’t make any money. The next year, he
broke even. In his third year, he made money. From the first year
to present, he increased his annual revenue ten times and did
it through free advertising and word of mouth. He recollected having little money to spend on advertising so he had to get creative.
Once, he decided to offer all his income for a day to charity and in
doing so he received free television and radio coverage. Also, many
churches and local groups assisted him in getting the word out.
ROBERT ANDERSON HAD A SUCCESSFUL CAREER as a senior
credit branch manager at a Bank of America in Southern California. His life seemed good except for one thing. He was unhappy with his career. Robert knew there was something better,
something more meaningful in store for him. Health was always
of interest to him - however he was disenchanted with allopathic
medicine. One day, a local San Diego chiropractic suggested that
he look into attending Life West. After considerable research and
a call to then president Dr. Gerry Clum, Robert decided it was
the right thing to do. He talked to his new wife, made the final
decision towards chiropractic, and packed up his things to move.
At age 40, he made his way to Hayward, California and entered
the doctorate program at Life West.
He admits it wasn’t easy to start over again at the age of 40.
“Every single person, including my mother, told me that I couldn’t
do it…I wasn’t smart enough to know, so I did it anyway,” Dr. Anderson fondly recalled.
Dr. Anderson was burning with passion and knew he had to take
his move and new path seriously. He made three promises to himself and his wife. The first is that he would graduate with at least a
B average or higher. The second was that he would graduate debt
free. And lastly, he would graduate in just 12 quarters. Dr. Robert
Anderson succeeded in all three and graduated in December 1988.
Learning at Life West
Somehow Dr. Anderson managed to find time to study while
holding down three jobs. He would sleep only a few hours a
night (which is not something he suggests anyone to do). Robert remembers many of his instructors at Life West and said that
every last one of them had something valuable to teach. Today,
he suggests to students that they listen to everything and absorb
as much as possible. Things you might not think are that import7
He had some unusual experiences early on. He ended up turning
away one of his first patients and sending to the emergency room.
From his studies at Life West, he recognized something many
chiropractors often never see in their careers, an abdominal aortic
aneurysm. The patient received emergency surgery and was quick
to credit Dr. Anderson with saving his life.
Robert went from renting a space to buying an office with two
extra suites that he could rent out for extra income. He succeeded
with only a three person staff and himself over the 15 years he was
in private practice.
Advice from the Doctor
Dr. Anderson has a few suggestions for future chiropractors. He
suggests that new graduates go out on their own right away if
at all possible. It is the first couple of years when graduates have
the most fire and drive and he recommends putting all the focus
towards their own future, instead of building for someone else. In
his first practice, Robert scrapped together enough for first and
last month rent, bought used equipment and supplies, and even
made office furniture himself. He got creative around marketing
and handled it in-house to save money.
Robert also suggests that students master one technique. Which
one? The one that benefits the patient at that time. In other words,
know a lot about many techniques, but specialize in one.
Dr. Anderson recommends that all students take the board
reviews. He had great success taking the Irene Gold Board review
program on campus. Another strategy he employed was to take
the boards in another state, even though he was not planning to
practice there. This gave him the experience of going through a
board exam which helped him immensely when he took the California boards and officially joined the DC ranks in California.
In 2005, Dr. Robert Anderson retired to Pacific City, Oregon. While
he is no longer practicing, he remains an enthusiastic Life West
supporter and dear friend.
L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
Rugby Visions
FROM THE TURF TO THE MUTUAL RESPECT, RUGBY DELIVERS
We are happy to announce that
we are now offering a Women’s
Rugby scholarship in 2015.
Additionally, our men’s team has
moved into Division II for the
2015 season. But the real news
is less about the present and
more about the journey we are
undertaking.
Former professional rugby
player and international coach,
New Zealander Adriaan Ferris is
announced as the new Life West
Athletic Director.
Life West’s vision for the college’s
rugby program has been about
building a strong brand that is
successful on and off the field.
By success, we mean the ability
to produce rugby players that
compete strongly in a manner
that aligns to the Life Chiropractic College West brand.
Our goals have gotten far loftier with the recent appointment
of former professional rugby player and international coach,
New Zealander Adriaan Ferris as the new Life West Athletic
Director. His experience in rugby is immense and his drive is
robust. Ferris’ vision includes attracting more people to chiropractic through the game of rugby and the long-term plan is to
be the best rugby program in the US. High performance player
development and gaining a true appreciation for what rugby
represents are key. The new coach says that getting people to
fall in love with the game and learning to play the way they
play in his native homeland, are both part of his master plan.
In any sport, it is important to focus on the essence of what is
gained on and off the field. A special camaraderie is important
to Life West Rugby. Sportsmanship and gaining a deep understanding of mutual respect are other core goals of the program.
Winning titles is an overarching objective but the manner in
which we achieve this objective is what Life West Rugby is all
about. Having character and earning the respect of our peers
and our opponents will be the true indicators of a strong rugby
program. And the more we bring attention to the chiropractic
way of life, the more lives we can touch.
For more information, visit the Life West rugby website at
www.lifewestrugby.com.
PHOTOS BY KYLE GLENN
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
8
The Art and Pursuit
of Service
This year a group of 28 Life West students decided
to challenge themselves in service. In August the
team completed the NorCal Tough Mudder event in
Lake Tahoe, CA. Their participation was not about
fitness or competition. The students participated
in the event with the sole purpose to honor and
support veterans in chiropractic.
Service is a fundamental value of the chiropractic profession. Service is also the cornerstone of
military values. A veteran is anchored in service
because they have experienced first-hand the joy
of releasing self to the higher calling of caring for
others. The experience of service has changed
them irrevocably.
Many veterans experience a void when they leave
the military. Their purpose in their new life lacks
an obvious path to serve. Veterans often seek
work that will allow them to continue to engage in
selfless service. Chiropractic gives many veterans
a brilliant transition from service to country to service to humanity in an independent career.
The Tough Mudder Service Project was born in
February 2014 through the vision of Life West
student Darren Murphy. Darren was looking for an
opportunity to build a community project on love.
Murphy relates “I signed up for the Tough Mudder
on February 14th with the intention of wrapping all
the upcoming effort, enthusiasm, work and planning in a container of love. Love for others, love for
Life West, and most importantly, love for the past,
present and future veterans of Life West.”
Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile obstacle course
event designed to test all-around strength, stamina, teamwork, and mental grit. Since its inception
in 2010, the Tough Mudder project has hosted
over 100 events all over the world. The event was
created by members of British Special Forces and
has a natural connection to military community
and values. The organization has now donated over
$6.5 million to the Wounded Warrior Project.
The Mudder Pledge1
I understand that Tough Mudder is
not a race but a challenge.
I put teamwork and camaraderie
before my course time.
I do not whine – kids whine.
I help my fellow Mudders complete the course.
I overcome all fears.
9
L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
This eclectic event is unlike any other. It draws participants of
all types (and all fitness levels). The event focuses on the value
of teamwork and boasts a 78% completion rate with 80% team
participation. The 10-12 mile course features approximately 25
obstacles with names such as Electric Eel, Kiss of Mud, Everest,
Arctic Enema and Funky Monkey. This event is not for the faint
of heart. It requires perseverance and teamwork. This was a
perfect fit for the Life West team.
Although the students were from different quarters and different backgrounds, they quickly became a tight-knit team. As
they began to train and plan, they formed a bond based on intention. They travelled together to the event location and spent
the entire weekend together in a rented cabin in Truckee, CA.
Preparations started early in the morning on the event day as
the entire team assembled for group meditation and foundation training before heading out to the starting area. The course
came with ample challenges for everyone. Some of the participants were not as physically ready as others for what the course
had in store for them. This is when teamwork transitioned
from a concept to a conscious act. Around mile three the team
agreed to split up into two groups in order to serve the team’s
success. They split, but serendipitously reunited around mile
ten and finished the last mile of the event together.
While the entire course took nearly seven hours to complete,
every team member cited the experience of finishing the event
together as the most valuable part of the experience. They
found that serving a greater cause, serving the act of community allowed them to access their highest selves.
The Life West Team:
SHANE ALBORZ
GREG LAZELL
BRAD PARTRIDGE
CODY ALME
VETERAN
MICHAEL PIERCE
CHRIS BOGGESS
NIKKI LOEWEN
PAVIN RAHKRA
BORIS CICAK
KENYA MARCELLA HODGES
AUBREY RIVERA
MANDY CHAN
VETERAN
BRANDON VAN SETERS
MATT DELGADO
JACOB MELENDEZ
NICK FEDELE
LUCAS MELENDEZ
LANCE VON STADE
RYNE IBARRA
DARREN MURPHY
EMMA SWARTLING
AUSTIN IVANS
JACKLYN MUXEN
STEPHANIE VICENS
ANNA KNAPP
WANDA NYVALL
JOE ZINGONE
SUNNY SODHI
The chiropractic community is built upon principles of service.
As we focus our energy on connecting, giving and serving from
the abundance of our hearts we grow. Service is the beating
heart of vitalism.
The connection between chiropractic and veterans is evident.
We share the values of commitment, integrity and service.
How can we lose ourselves in service every day? How can we
continue to serve the military community which has served us
so selflessly?
PHOTOS BY CRISSELLE GARRIDO
1
The Mudder Pledge. (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2014, from https://toughmudder.
com/events/what-is-tough-mudder
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
10
ON THE FIELD
THREE CHIROPRACTORS
TALK ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
By Diana Rohini LaVigne
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L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 1, I S S 2
COVER STORY
THERE IS UTTER SILENCE in the training
room of the San Francisco Giants. There is
a live game on the screen and over 40,000
people just hundreds of feet away, yet you
could hear a pin drop on the floor in the
training room on October 29 last year. The
medical staff of the S.F. Giants is watching
the final moments of the 2014 championship game with nearly unbearable tension in
the room. Several team members are silently
pacing the room in an effort to relieve the
mounting pressure in their bodies. In the
one second it takes to realize that they have
gone from competitors to winners of the
championship, everything changes. There is
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
rapid movement from the training room to
the field with screaming fans, celebratory
back slapping, media cameras everywhere,
and emotional mayhem. Champagne
sprays freely and grown adults are not
ashamed to let their tears flow.
In the middle of this celebration is Life West
alumni and the Giant’s team chiropractor,
Dr. Michael Gazdar. While it is his third time
in this position, he acknowledges that
winning never gets old. The same thrill,
the same overwhelming feeling of joy and
the emotional roller coaster that comes
with competing in a championship game
remains the same every time.
12
ON THE FIELD
MICHAEL GAZDAR, DC
Destined to Go Big
Opening Day
Gazdar seemed destined to connect to the San Francisco
Giants. Gazdar was born in Richmond, California, just six days
before the Giants played their first-ever home game.
After finishing high school, Gazdar earned a BA in psychology
from UC Berkeley and continued his schooling towards a master’s
degree in clinical psychology at Cal State University East Bay.
Gazdar was tossing around the idea of medical school when Dr.
Malik Slosberg shared words of encouragement towards chiropractic. After experiencing the relief of his lifelong affliction
with asthma after a chiropractic adjustment, a new career path
opened up. Gazdar chose Life West because he saw that Life
West students seemed happier and healthier than the medical
students he met. Off he went to school once again but this time
was different. This time it was transformative.
Covering All the Bases
After graduating in 1989, Gazdar taught chiropractic technique
at Life West. He also took a yearlong position with Dr. Dan
Murphy, whom he had been working with in the preceptorship
program since his 11th quarter at Life West. Gazdar opened his
own practice in 1990. He focused his work with sports teams,
sometimes pro-bono, to gain the knowledge and experience he
needed to move ahead.
Gazdar was looking out for clients everywhere. He met a woman working for a grocery store and begun to interact with her.
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San Francisco Giants
He found out that she was training to be a body builder when
she was in a car accident that adversely impacted her health. He
offered to take her on as a patient but she politely declined as
she already had a chiropractor. Quickly, the young doctor asked
her out on a date and got her number. But it wasn’t happily
ever after. In his rush, he lost her number. After five months, he
finally found her number and their first date was Jun 29, 1989.
They were engaged on June 29, 1990 and married on June 29,
1991. He has been married to his wife, Teri for 23 years.
Shortly after their marriage, his life once again shifted drastically. Gazdar had the opportunity to adjust the youngest client in
his career, his own son. Today with three kids between the ages
of 20 and 12, this couple juggles a full family life.
In It to Win It
In 1997, Dr. Nicolas J. Athens, the S.F. Giants chiropractor at the
time, spoke at Life West. Gazdar listened closely and he was
hooked. He set a goal of one day being the chiropractor for the
S.F. Giants. He wrote this goal down and reread it daily.
Years later, he jumped at the opportunity to work in minor
league baseball to gain experience. This experience served him
well because in 2007, the S.F. Giants interviewed him for the
position he had dreamed about as the team chiropractor. Six
weeks later, he had the job. Since he had worked with the minor league, the transition for Gazdar was gloriously easy. Today,
Gazdar adjusts team members when they are in-training or at
home games. He also travels with the team during playoffs.
L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
ON THE FIELD
What did he learn about a successful role in professional sports?
Gazdar says it is important to understand and accept that everything will go through the head trainer. The medical team works
as a team and the head trainer leads that team. Being calm and
collaborative is an asset, given the high amount of stress that
professional sports puts on every member of the team.
“Be highly competent in your skill. Once you are highly competent, always be a team player. Understand that you are one
part of a much larger team and you will want to work within the
perimeters of your team,” adds Gazdar.
reconnecting with Life West to find opportunities where he can
help promote them, support them, and work with them.
In the past few years, Gazdar got a call from the Oakland A’s
who were looking for a new chiropractor. He happily referred
Dr. Bruce Chester, who was one of his students in his early days
of teaching. Later they were colleagues when they both taught
at Life West. With this referral, another chiropractor’s dream
started to come true.
Once he started with the Giants, Gazdar set his goal to get three
championship rings so he could give one to each of his kids.
Each member of the medical team gets their own personalized
ring. Now that he has three rings, he thinks his wife might like
one too.
“I really feel truly blessed at my fortune. My family, my practice,
my education at Life West and working with the S.F. Giants - I
think about how fortunate I am every day,” said Gazdar. And
after a moment of reflection, he added, “While everything I do
with the S.F. Giants is truly amazing, at the end of the day, it is
all about the patients for me.”
Stepping Up to the Plate
Gazdar’s goal is to stay working with the S.F. Giants as long as
possible. Once that chapter has finished, he looks forward to
Dr. Michael Gazdar holds the Commissioner’s Trophy on the plane back from
the SF Giant’s third World Series winning game since he joined the team.
BRUCE CHESTER, DC
The Ultimate Sportsman
Growing Up Rookie Strong
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Bruce Chester’s beginnings were humble. He went to college in Philadelphia, where
he became a physical educational teacher for a short period
of time and had no real complaints about life. While he was
reasonably happy, he yearned for something more.
Chester then created a sign company in his home town, which
gave him plenty of flexibility to play golf and soccer. The new
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
Oakland A’s
job provided him with good money and gave him lots of free
time, but he yearned to get back into sports. In 1985 he became
a physical therapist with plans to open a private practice and
focus on working with athletes. His grand plan seemed to be
firmly in place.
It wasn’t until his father had spinal challenges that he recognized what the next big step in his career life needed to be. Observing his father’s care was a magical ‘ah-ha’ moment for the
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ON THE FIELD
young professional. The way the chiropractor skillfully relieved
his father’s pain was astonishing. After the chiropractic visit, his
father felt fully restored back to health and hasn’t had any reoccurring spinal pain issue since then. That day, over twenty years
ago, was a turning point for Chester. He knew chiropractic was
a worthy fit for him. He immediately transferred to the Bay Area
to take the next step in his chiropractic journey; academia.
During his time at Life West, Chester met and eventually worked
with Dr. Dan Murphy. He considered Murphy a top leader in the
chiropractic world and wanted the experience of working with
him. After graduation he moved into private practice.
Chester established his private practice in 1991 in Pleasanton,
California. His private practice always had a sports slant to it.
From baseball to rugby to golfers, he was adjusting athletes on
a regular basis.
After seven years, Chester moved his practice to Hayward in
order to be closer to the Life West campus, where he became a
professor and administrator. Currently, Chester is the Director of
Clinical Competency at Life Chiropractic College West.
“I work part time at my practice in Hayward and I reduce my
hours during the baseball season. I have really long days, but I
have a really good thing going on at Life West. I went to school
there and it is almost like I really never left school. They can’t
get rid of me,” said Chester with a smile.
The Best Pitch Ever
It was his old classmate, Gazdar that ended up recommending
Chester to the Oakland A’s. The head trainer, Nick Paperesta
called Chester in to test him out. Nearly two months later, Chester got a call from Nick on Christmas evening to say that the
Oakland A’s had a contract for him to sign. His gift that year was
a dream come true.
What challenges faced Chester coming to his new team?
“After the novelty wore off, it was my job. I realized it could be a
grind. I had 12-plus hour work days,” said Chester. “And yet, it is
really high energy when I get there. The Oakland A’s had a very
great first half of the season but after they traded Yoenis Cespedes to Boston, the season quickly turned on the club. They
lost in a one game playoff and missed the post season.”
Being a lifelong learner, he quickly got a handle on what was
required of him; all the positions on the team are very clearly
defined. Assessing and adjusting team members was his focus.
It is a highly charged up environment that requires precision,
razor sharp focus and a good sense of character.
What is his advice on working with a professional sports team?
You must quickly learn what you are allowed to do and not
allowed to do.
“It is great work. I love baseball. You are part of a team. The
team vibe makes you realize that you are part of something
much bigger. They treat us well and it is a really good feeling,”
notes Chester. “The A’s are a blessing for me.”
Extra Innings
As if all this wasn’t enough, Chester also became the team doctor for the Hayward Griffins in 1993. The rugby team won two
national championships and gave Chester an amazing idea to
marry rugby with the college and chiropractic.
When a new president, Dr. Brian Kelly, arrived at the college,
Chester saw the opportunity to start a Life West rugby team
and he became one of the founding fathers of the Life West
Gladiators. After getting approval from the Board of Regents,
the Gladiators went on a fairy tale run in their first year to the
National Finals, finishing second in the nation.
Chester’s long-term goal is to be involved, in some capacity, in
the creation of a professional rugby team in the United States.
Starting a professional league requires a lot of influence,
money and resources; however Chester is driven to make it
happen.
Chester’s visions have always been lofty and a fellow chiropractor, who grew up in a neighboring city to Chester’s Pleasanton
practice, shares his notion of mammoth-sized goals.
Dr. Bruce Chester (2nd from Left) is involved in many sports including rugby. He stands with rugby representatives, including Life West president, Dr. Brian Kelly
(2nd from Right) which helps fuel his ambition to be involved in creating a professional rugby team in the United States.
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L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
ON THE FIELD
KYLE PRUSSO, DC
Youthful Overachiever
Kyle’s Kickoff
Born in Hayward and raised in Livermore, Kyle Prusso was the first
and only person in his family to pursue chiropractic. His father was
a contractor and his brother followed in their father’s footsteps.
Prusso felt he wanted to pave his own path towards success.
Prusso’s dad took on a contract to build a chiropractic office for
Dr. Richard Lubin and his father had no idea how this would
dramatically change his own son’s future. After the contract was
finished, his family started going to the chiropractor on a regular
basis. At age 12, Kyle experienced an elbow injury while playing
Little League Baseball. Prusso was always impressed that Lubin
committed everyone’s name and patient history to memory.
Oakland Raiders
Comparing mechanical design to chiropractic, Prusso said,
“Those concepts are not that far apart actually. It wasn’t as big of
a jump as you might think.”
His family chiropractor referred him to Life West and in 9 months he
went from a person on a campus tour to being an enrolled student.
“The education part of was easy for me. I never really struggled
at all. I was extremely focused and I was in it 100%,”said Prusso.
“The biggest challenge was blending my two lives. I lived with
my family in Livermore and I had my Life West and chiropractic
families in the Hayward area.”
“I would come in many years later and he would still ask about my
elbow. My chiropractor really knew each patient as an individual. It
struck me how unique and wonderful that was,” said Prusso.
Prusso maintained a private practice in Livermore for six years
but decided it was not for him. For Prusso, private practice felt
like operating on an island. He missed being part of a team. He
wanted to work in a multi-disciplined environment and scaled
back his private practice.
On the Line of Scrimmage
Not Benched
Prusso went to Las Positas College and continued to San Jose
State University where he studied mechanical design. He was
always a working student and didn’t mind the struggle of
working and studying at the same time. Beginning at age 14, he
worked in a bicycle shop where he remained for over a decade.
So how did Prusso move into the professional sports circle
so early in his career? In the summer of 2005, Prusso took a
temporary job with his brother’s construction company as a
foreman. He was managing the extension of the home of Rod
Martin, head trainer for the Oakland Raiders. When Prusso
first met him, Martin admitted freely that he was looking for a
chiropractor for the team. Over the months of this construction
project, Prusso felt he was being closely observed. The trainer
was always asking him interview-like questions to gauge how
he would react in a particular situation. He wanted to know
how the young doctor would get along with the team. Within
six months, Prusso officially became the chiropractor for the
Oakland Raiders.
Prusso candidly shared, “I just hated working in technical design.
I was sitting in a shop. I was programming in an office with no
outside human contact. I realized that it had been two weeks
since I had met any one new at work. I really needed a job where
I could regularly meet new people.”
This was his transformational moment. He sat down and made a
list of the pros and cons of a career in design. It was clear that it
was time for a seismic change in his life. He created another list
on the professions that attracted him. Chiropractic and medicine
were at the top.
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“In professional sports, a big ego can be a problem for the chiropractor. It is important to fit in with the medical team and the
players. You have to learn when you should speak up and when
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ON THE FIELD
their professional sports teams in many different ways. There is
not one way in. It is essential to have solid skills and it is equally
important to have integrity.
Prusso cautioned, “Those involved in professional sports have
heard every line and every story. They can sniff out posers from
miles away. Integrity is imperative. These guys’ BS meters are
finely tuned.”
In the End Zone
Admittedly, Prusso doesn’t have a lot of free time these days
while occupied with the football season, his work and his family. He and his wife of 18 years, Belen, have their hands happily
filled with their two sons; Dylan, age 12 and Jack, age 9.
Raider’s Chiropractor, Kyle Prusso says,” Sometime you catch yourself wondering if it is a dream.”
you need to shut up. You need to be a great communicator for
the value of the chiropractic approach when the opportunity
arises. You need to be a team player, “said Prusso, who is in his
10th season with the Oakland Raiders. “Sometimes you catch
yourself wondering if it is a dream. There is nothing like game
day and running out of the tunnel with the team towards the
field. The crowd is just crazy.”
Prusso stays on the sidelines with his team during games and
travels with them too. Football travel is easier and more predictable than many professional sports because games are mostly
during the weekends. Pre-season and training camp gets quite
hectic for Prusso. He takes his kids to the training camp to help
out which incorporates his family into the master plan.
He does have a mission. Prusso serves as the president of the
Professional Football Chiropractic Society (PFCS). The mission
of the nonprofit organization is to educate and communicate
about professional sports chiropractic and to share the knowledge and information learned from being an NFL chiropractor.
The PFCS holds an Annual Educational Symposium in conjunction with the NFL’s Scouting Combine.
What is his next goal? If there is one thing he’d like to change
about chiropractic, it is the infrastructure for launching new
graduates. Students graduate school often with a large debt. So
many students become an associate for a chiropractor, and are
often overworked and underpaid in his opinion. Prusso chose
another route. Post-graduation, he worked as an independent
contractor with Dr. Christina McDonald, who gave him more
support and independence. McDonald taught him the ropes of
being a business owner. It was very altruistic of her he said.
Prusso’s parting thoughts are, “If everyone looked at the new
graduates in that way, we’d be a lot further along in developing
a sustainable system.”
What is the wisdom he would like to impart on those seeking
to follow in his footsteps? Prusso says that chiropractors get to
Three chiropractors. Three vastly different paths. However, all
three are on a larger mission to
spread the word about the benefits of chiropractic care to their
communities, their professional
sports associates and to the
world. Together, it is clear the
path forward is bright for chiropractic in professional sports.
Prusso stays on the sidelines with his team during the games and travels
with them too. Photos courtesy of Dr. Kyle Prusso.
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L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
PHOTO COURTESY OF LATCH FAMILY
Putting Chiropractic on the Map
THE LATCH FAMILY LEGACY
By David Hohl
When Connie, the future wife of Dr. Lloyd Latch, first met Lloyd
in 1963 he said, “I want to put chiropractic on the map in San
Francisco.” He repeated that phrase over and over through the
years until he opened his practice on Van Ness Avenue and
created the largest chiropractic office in the world. That office
now serves nearly 2,500 patients a week.
Lloyd was a self-made man. Born in a rough neighborhood in
the south side of Chicago, he grew up during the depression
of the thirties and forties. His parents worked hard to support
the family. His father was a railroad engineer and his mother
worked in a grocery store. His father had to work seven days a
week just to get by. This work ethic rubbed off and Lloyd had a
multitude of jobs to support him over the years and finally to
support his journey in chiropractic school.
As a young man, Lloyd was an avid gymnast and won an All City
Championship. He went on to win Mr. Chicago and Mr. Illinois,
and tied for Mr. San Francisco.
come true. He made that dream a reality as he and his family
ended up living there years later.
While serving as a medic in Japan during the war, Lloyd hurt his
back once again. The only treatment the medical doctors were
giving was pain medication, which did not correct the cause
and created worse side effects. He decided to teach one of the
doctors how to give the adjustment that he learned when the
osteopath treated him. Reluctantly, the doctor agreed and after
several attempts, finally succeeded in a crude adjustment.
After coming home from the war, Lloyd used the GI Bill to
help with school. To make up the difference in cost, he worked
nights at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago. In 1958, he
graduated from Chicago’s National College of Chiropractic.
Dr. Latch’s first practice started in San Francisco, when rent was
just $75 a month. The practice grew and within three years he
moved into a bigger space.
Immediately after high school graduation, Lloyd was drafted
into the Army and served one year in the United States and one
year in Japan.
Lloyd needed some help and placed an ad for an office assistant. Connie, a pre-med student at S.F. State applied to the
job expecting to find a short, graying doctor. To her surprise, a
suntanned, champion body builder greeted her. Lloyd hired her
and within a week, asked her out. Five months later, in 1963,
they were married. Connie had suffered from chronic neck and
headache problems, but Lloyd used chiropractic to help her
achieve full health. When allopathic doctors would just give her
pain medication, chiropractic switched on the power and she
had instant relief and clarity. She left medical school behind
and became a chiropractor advocate for life.
Latch made himself a promise as he stood on deck of a military
ship on its way to Japan from the S.F. Bay. He promised that he
would come back there and would live overlooking the Golden
Gate Bridge. Lloyd was a man who knew how to make his goals
Starting the business was tough for the Latchs. There was a
shortage of funds and Connie suggested she do the bills so
he could focus on the helping the patients. Connie started to
work, and even if bills were behind, she told Lloyd everything
In high school gymnastics, Lloyd hurt his back and found no
relief in allopathic medicine. He was in tremendous pain, which
forced him to bend to one side when he walked. His mother
brought him to an osteopath out of desperation, and after
a crude adjustment, Lloyd stood up straight from the table
and was out of pain. He never forgot that instant relief and its
impact on his life.
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PUTTING CHIROPRACTIC ON THE MAP
was taken care of. They had to take bank loans to keep practice
afloat in the early years.
After years of hard work, they started to break even. Lloyd
constantly took seminars to improve his knowledge. Most frequently he attended seminars of Dr. Sid Williams, Dr. Jim Parker,
and Dr. C.S. Gonstead, as well as monthly brown bag meetings
of local chiropractors.
In addition to chiropractic seminars, Lloyd and his wife took
motivational seminars and once attended one called ‘Pay Yourself First.’ Connie took what she learned and started taking 10%
and paying it like a bill to themselves in savings. At one point,
Connie said they needed a home for children and for all the tax
incentives it provides. Lloyd said they couldn’t afford a down
payment, and that’s when Connie told him of the saving she’d
been doing since that seminar and they were able to purchase
their first house after all.
When asked what Lloyd’s main business philosophy was, Connie said he believed in giving patients the care they need. No
more, no less. It was not about money.
Lloyd also believed in always improving himself and his skills.
At one point, Lloyd got rid of all physical therapy and diagnostic equipment in the office and relied on pure chiropractic by
hands. Have constant integrity, ongoing education, and work
hard was his motto.
Dr. Latch was a pioneer in free public spinal screenings. They
had a big sign about the free screenings and they passed out
brochures and asked people to stop by. It was a very successful
way to build the practice.
After 40 years, Dr. Lllyod Latch retired and passed the practice on to his
sons, Dr. David and Dr. Daniel Latch.
Dr. Daniel Latch started in mechanical engineering at UCLA but
eventually felt something was missing. Nobody inspired him
like his father and the stories of how people were helped made
a change occur. Daniel decided to switch his focus and study
chiropractic. He approached his father about the plan. “When
I asked him about studying chiropractic, he said, Danny Boy, if
you can fix people like you can fix machines, you will become
a great chiropractor,” recalled Daniel. He saw the enthusiasm
of his father at work. He was never stressed. “When I visited my
dad at work, patients would always grab me to tell me how
grateful they were to have been adjusted by my dad,” Daniel explained, “I truly feel honored to be able to carry my dad’s legacy
into the future.”
In 1983, Lloyd and Connie moved the practice to Van Ness and
Sutter. Dr. Latch was working with celebrities including Academy Awardee Actor and singer Bing Crosby, special Pulitzer Prize
journalist Herb Caen, Emmy award nominee actor James Caan,
Hall of Famer Baseball player Willie McCovey and one of the
best-selling music artists of all time Barbra Streisand. He was
known as the Chiropractor to the Stars by many in the community. Dr. Latch’s office was overflowing with patients so he
joined forces with Dr. Kenneth So as a partner.
Although Lloyd seemed like he had it all, life wasn’t always rosy.
He had great professional success but happiness eluded him.
His marriage was on the rocks and to ease the stress, Lloyd
began drinking heavily. It was a downward spiral. He knew he
had to make serious changes to save his life and family but
nothing seemed to help. Then, a patient introduced Lloyd to
Scientology. He gave it a shot and learned the tools he needed
to confront and repair problems head on. The Latch family grew
stronger each day including his marriage, and his relationship
with his four sons.
In 2004, after 40 years of chiropractic, Lloyd retired and passed
the practice on to his sons, Dr. David and Dr. Daniel Latch, who
both are Life West Alumnus.
David said, “A friend of mine came over to the house and had a
headache. He asked for an aspirin, and I told him we don’t have
any. Get an adjustment.” David’s father advised him to go to Life
West. After studying at UC Santa Barbara, David followed his
father’s advice.
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Dr. Llyod Latch put chiropractic on the map in San Francisco and now the
legacy continues with his sons, Dr. Daniel and David Latch.
Dr. Lloyd Latch and Connie Latch were supportive to Life West
in many ways – bringing in new students, helping financially in
hard times, and in many other ways over the years, including
sending two of their sons to the college.
Lloyd did put chiropractic on the map in San Francisco and
now the legacy continues with his sons, Dr. Daniel Latch and Dr.
David Latch. Latch family’s dedication has been a long standing
asset to Life Chiropractic College West and the entire chiropractic community.
PHOTOS BY KYLE GLENN
L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
ALUMNI NEWS
Coming Full Circle – My Four
Life Cycles after Life West
By Dr. Robert Watton, Life West Alumni ‘98
Being a part of chiropractic has been a special privilege and
an honor for me. The first representative I met from Life West
was Dr. George Casey who came to New York as an ambassador
during an event almost 20 years ago. I came back to visit Life
West in 2014 for the first time since I graduated. I was thrilled to
find that Dr. George Casey was going to give me a personal tour
of the campus. I want to thank Dr. Casey for leading me to Life
West in the past and now again in the present.
My personal journey in chiropractic has been a series of milestones. Each step along the path has served to bring me into
my personal strength as a chiropractor.
kitchen and shared the abundance of food that the community
brought to them. On that day, I was directed to Jacob Javitiz
Center where I drove alongside military tanks to offer care to
FEMA and State Troopers from all over the country.
Milestone Three: Coverage Work to Private Practice
After 2003, I started to do coverage work full time. The advantage of this work was being able to see how different offices
were set up and operated to care for many different people. It
also sharpened me on gaining rapport with the patients quickly
because I wasn’t their regular chiropractor. In 2005, I went into
partnership with another chiropractor with an existing office.
In 2007, I started my own group practice without ever taking
out a business loan. There is no right or wrong way to practice,
but it is possible to start an office with little money, without
borrowing. In 2010 the group disbanded and I practiced as an
associate in a holistic office. I was doing regular spinal screenings once a week, picking up two to eight new patients in two
hours. I highly recommend this skill and to take advantage of
the opportunity while at Life West.
Milestone Four: Back to Doing My Own Thing Again
In late 2014, I opened a new office in Forest Hills, New York. Before
opening my new office, I went to businesses and residents in the
area with a health survey, including questions addressing their
needs and health concerns. I congregated their data and invited
them to a health class allow me to strategically offer techniques.
Dr. Robert Watton, Life West Alumni ‘98 and his wife, Connie.
Milestone One: The World Needs Chiropractic
In September 1998, while waiting for the results of the New
Jersey Boards. I went to Fortaleza, Brazil with a group of chiropractors to offer care to its residents. At the end of the week,
a group of women surrounded us in a circle and sang to us in
Portuguese with such gratitude. To this day, no money has ever
equaled the reward I felt from their singing. After passing the
New Jersey boards, I did coverage work until I could get my
license for New York. I then started practicing as an independent contractor in a busy office in Brooklyn, NY seeing about
450 people a week.
Milestone Two: 9/11 Tragedy Hits America Hard
I was taking care of people in Brooklyn on that terrible day,
as burning papers floated down from Manhattan. I went to
a weekly chiropractic Cell-F Center meeting in Brooklyn and
a chiropractor named Tom Musto got up and told the group
how he drove to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and it was being
guarded by military with AK-47 rifles. His story motivated me.
After working a full day on that Friday, I got in my car and
stopped by a firehouse in Brooklyn with my portable table.
After adjusting the firefighters, they took me in the back to the
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
What are the take-aways from my professional experience and
my Life West education? First, you need to stay focused on your
goals and link everything you are learning in college to chiropractic. Next, develop an inspiring vision of where and how you
would love to take care of people after you are out of school.
And lastly, always remember to pay yourself first as time will go
by fast and you want something to show for all the hard work
that you do.
Motivated To Motivate
By Naxielly Rodriguez de Cordoba, Life West Alumni ‘14
I often think of the journey that brought me to chiropractic.
Every single one of my decisions was developed around the
purpose of serving. Gathering the tools that brought me to
fulfill this purpose is one of my biggest achievements. Life West
was the vehicle I chose to pursue this dream. Investing my time
on the academics of chiropractic and mastering an upper cervical system inside and outside of college were big parts of my
journey. I was fortunate to have dedicated mentors ensuring
that I would understand the power of pure chiropractic, honor
the chiropractic profession by serving as it was intended, and
serve my community by empowering people to live a healthy
life by making healthy decisions.
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ALUMNI NEWS
My plans after graduation are to partner with Specific chiropractic doctors. I strongly believe that working in unison and
following the same specific training will create a greater impact
and authority to the people that have no chiropractic experience. My vision is to go back to my country of origin, Mexico.
I would love to bring Specific chiropractic there and work in
coordination with my family. They have been anxiously waiting
for this kind of care to be offered. The world is truly open to
opportunities and decisions and as long-time Walt Disney executive, Roy E. Disney said, “When your values are clear to you,
making decisions becomes easier.” I have a great mission and I
will always be helping people make their own visions a reality.
In Memoriam
Dr. Patricia Deluca-Cardillo
Stoic till the very end. You fought such a hard battle Trish.
You are now at peace to enjoy the sunshine and look
down on the rest of us and guide us to enjoy the time we
all have to the fullest as you did with your time on this
earth. You will be sadly missed but we all have some very
good memories of you and the joy you have brought
to our lives. Love and will miss you. Aunty Diana, Charlie, Danelle and family, Michael and family. Our special
thanks to the wonderful staff at SCGH and Palliative Care.
Dr. Frank Sovinsky
Naxielly Rodriguez de Cordoba, Life West Class of ‘14, has a goal to return to
Mexico to serve her community. PHOTO BY KYLE GLENN
He was an adoring husband, treasured friend, respected
mentor, consultant, speaker and author, avid snow skier,
runner and stranger to no one, passed away on Sunday,
August 31, 2014. Frank was born in Wheeling, WV, on
July 29, 1951 the son of the late Frank L. Sovinsky and
Ann Litman. Frank practiced chiropractic in Lodi, CA from
1982-1997. In 1997 he moved to Tahoe City where he
and his wife, Cathy, co-founded DC Mentors, a leadership
training and business consulting company for Chiropractors. Frank was a fun, spirited soul with a vibrant personality who motivated and impacted the lives of everyone
he met. Dr. Frank will be greatly missed by his surviving
family, his wife, Cathy Sovinsky, his daughter Chenoa
Farrell, granddaughter Farrell Mauthner and this entire
DC Mentors tribe.
Note from Life West President, Dr. Brian Kelly
Alumni Awards
The Life West Alumni Association proudly recognized three
outstanding individuals that have demonstrated exceptional
contributions towards enhancing the quality of Life West and
the chiropractic community in 2014. The 2014 Alumni Award
recipients include:
When I arrived in the US in 2011, Frank was the first
speaker I heard speaking at a Friday seminar. I was
struck by his depth of intellect, his humour, his deep
understanding of chiropractic, and his genuine desire
to help others. Over the past 4 years, our friendship has
developed and Frank has been an incredible confidante.
Always optimistic, upbeat and smiling, you could rely on
Frank to constantly challenge you.
One of his passions was to revive a generation of chiropractors. He did this by tirelessly sharing his powerful
message to audiences around the world. Franks book
collection was vast. He always had some new insights
from the latest book he had read, and was exited to share
this knowledge.
Student of
the Year:
James Evans
(Australia)
Alumnus of
the Year:
Eric McKillican, D.C.
International
Alumnus of
the Year:
Jimmy Nanda, D.C.
Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and commitment
towards “Creating a Brighter Future for Humanity.”
21
Frank was the only chiropractor to co-author a book with
business guru, Michael Gerber, on the insights of which
continue to help thousands of chiropractors every day. A
1981 graduate of Palmer College, Frank was always willing
to support students, chiropractors and chiropractic colleges. He served Life West in many ways over the years.
I have thought about him every hour since his passing.
Maybe he felt his work here was done. Maybe he got
frustrated at the lunacy in chiropractic, and the wasted
energy spent on pointing fingers at each other. Then I
thought, maybe he just wanted to hang out with Sigafoose and take the conversation to a new level. May you
be in peace my friend. Here’s to ‘no ordinary moments’.
L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
ALUMNI NEWS
Hawk Talk Takes Flight
nect with each Life West alumni and re-connect each with the
vibrant new spirit that surrounds Life West today.
By Jim Hawkins, Alumni Ambassador
I want to begin a conversation which will center on the alumni’s
priorities and needs.
This is a very emotional moment for me. It is a moment
of transformation. And it is a
moment of great promise.
After 36 amazing years as a
full-time faculty member here
at Life West, I am (mostly)
putting down my chalk and
embracing another direction
that is equally important to me.
I embark on a new adventure
with Life West alumni.
As most of you will remember,
my life’s purpose has been to
attempt to flood the world with
chiropractors – not just doctors
of chiropractic, but passionate human beings who find fulfillment in serving others.
I have often dreamed of traveling the world, visiting my former
students, and now that is exactly what I get to do in my new
role as Alumni Ambassador for Life Chiropractic College West.
I cannot wait to see each one of the alumni in your unique
practice settings. I want to hear the many often untold stories,
not only the many miraculous successes, but also I want to
hear about Alumni challenges and struggles. I want to re-con-
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
Part of my role requires me to emerge from my shell and enter
the 21st century steeped in technology. I will have an ongoing
conversation with alumni using the online platform called
Linkedin. We are looking at creating our own Linkedin alumni
group in the near future. I also welcome you to connect with
me anytime by email at jhawkins@lifewest.edu. Let me know
your concerns, suggestions and ideas. At the end of the day, I
just want to know how Life West can best serve you.
PHOTO BY KYLE GLENN
Keeping in Touch with
Alumni Relations
Life West values its relationship with its alumni. To learn more
about benefits of becoming an Alumni Board Member or how
you might be the next featured alumnus in Life Styles magazine,
please contact Alumni Relations at:
(510) 780-4500, x2425
alumni@lifewest.edu
www.lifewest.edu/alumni
22
We want to express a special gratitude and thanks to our entire
team of Champions for Life doctors. You have contributed to life
West in unmeasurable ways with your actions and support. Your
work and dedication is inspiring to your fellow chiropractors,
future chiropractors and all the people whose lives you touch.
Life West and the Champions Team would like to officially recognize one outstanding Champions member, Dr. Danny Gambino, for his significant contributions to Life West and our mission.
Dr. Danny Gambino
As an inspiration to aspiring chiropractor, Dr. Gambino won the
prestigious 2014 California Chiropractic Association Doctor of
the Year. And it is clear why. He is a true leader. Dr. Gambino inspires students and chiropractors alike on a daily basis. He is the
San Diego Pre-Chiro Club Advisor and was the host doctor for
San Diego Career Night. Dr. Gambino is a mentor for students
and embodies the values of Life Chiropractic College West, such
as selfless service and passion for chiropractic. He is a champion
in his local community and true ambassador of the profession.
Additionally, he is utilizing social media to mentor students and
positively impacting the future of chiropractic.
“It is my duty and honor to serve chiropractic
through serving the future of our profession,”
said Dr. Gambino.
Student Recruitment Events (SRE) are critical to Life West’s continued success. These events are a great way for doctors to connect
with the future of chiropractic. The goal of an SRE is to talk about
the possibility of a career in chiropractic to a wider audience.
Champions
Who Referred
a Student
to Champions
Weekend
DR. ERIC SMITH
DR. AARON COLLINS
DR. ARMINTA PHELPS
DR. AUSTIN KOMAREK
DR. BILLY DEMOSS
DR. BRAD GLOWAKI
DR. BRANDON ROBERTS
DR. DANA TANKELL
DR. DAVID BUTTERS
DR. DAVID VAZQUEZ
DR. ERIC MCKILLICAN
DR. JAY LASHBROOK
Champions
Who Referred a
Students Who
Recently Started
at Life West
DR. JASON MILLER
DR. ANKUR TAYAL
DR. MINDY PELZ
DR. AUSTIN HAUSER
DR. RON OBERSTEIN
Many Thanks
to Those Who
Completed an
SRE Recently
DR. DAVE BUTTERS
DR. PETER AMLINGER
DR. LORI O’HARA
DR. NITAN ARORA
DR. JEFF SCHOTLEN
DR. GENIE MARKWELL
DR. GERARD HOFFERTH
DR. IAN HOFFMAN
DR. JAMES M. SILLER
DR. JASON WORRALL
DR. JENNIFER PADRTA
DR. JEREMY GARCIA
DR. JIMMY NANDA
DR. JOE DISPENZA
DR. JOSEPH ARVAY
DR. KRISTINE HICKS
DR. LONA COOK
DR. LORI O’HARA
DR. PAUL HODGSON
DR. RANDALL BOND
DR. RHEA ZIMMERMAN
KOMAREK
DR. RICK SWECKER
DR. ROBERT MARTINES
DR. RYAN SWEET
DR. SCOTT DONALDSON
DR. SKYLAR GEMMER
DR. STEPHANIE WILLIAMS
DR. STEVE PERRY
DR. STEVE SILK
DR. THOMAS OLIVER
DR. TIFFANY GREEN
DR. TIM GAY
DR. MATT HUBBARD
DR. RON SIMMS
DR. BRAD GLOWAKI
DR. LINDA BEDESSIAN
DR. MICHAEL LACEY
DR. TIM GAY
DR. BRIAN FLANNERY
DR. DANNY GAMBINO
DR. SKYLAR GEMMER
DR. ERIC MCKILLICAN
DR. TIM MURPHY
DR. MARY OBERSTEIN
DR. STEVEN SILK
DR. KRISTEN KELLS
DR. BRAD PETERSON
DR. JEFFERY FINNIGAN
DR. TODD ROYSE
DR. JACK NOLLE
DR. STEVE SCHUSTER
DR. STEVEN SILK
DR. RON SIMMS
DR. DANA TANKELL
DR. ANKUR TAYAL
DR. STEPHANIE WILLIAMS
DR. MICHAEL ZABELIN
An SRE can be a number of different activities. It can be hosting
an in-office open house, participating with a career night, attending a fair at a local college or university, or event speaking
to a group of students at a local school.
To host your own SRE and impact the lives of future chiropractors, please contact Mary Flannery by email at mary@lifewest.edu
or by phone at +1 510-780-4500, ext. 2065.
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L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1
BOOK REVIEW
The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive
Multiple Sclerosis Using Paleo Principles and
Functional Medicine
A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions
By Terry Wahls, M.D., with Eve Adamson (Avery 2014)
Review by Dan Murphy, D.C.
When I see or hear the word ‘paleo’, I think of innate intelligence. The paleo principle means living a lifestyle that is consistent with our genetic heritage. The payoff for living a paleo
lifestyle is enhanced health, in terms of quantity and quality.
In her book The Wahls Protocol, Dr. Terry Wahls uses paleo
principles to innately reverse chronic autoimmune diseases; including the devastating disease she was once diagnosed with,
multiple sclerosis.
the best I have ever read. It is practical innate advice for anyone
who wishes to enhance his or her own health. For chiropractors,
it is a perfect innate lifestyle reference for our patients, enhancing their overall health and understanding of innate principles.
I believe that all chiropractors should read this book.
IMAGES COURTESY OF TERRYWAHLS.COM
Dr. Wahls was an athlete and a Polytrauma physician from Iowa.
After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune
disease, her condition regressed to the point of full disability
despite the best of allopathic drug management. Desperate
for answers, she did her own due diligence and discovered an
innate approach, paleo principles, and integrated them into her
lifestyle. Her recovery is chronicled in her books and in a TED
talk called Minding Your Mitochondria.
Dr. Wahls’ strategy in her book is akin to having her readers
climb a flight of stairs. She starts out making lifestyle recommendations that are easier but they become more rigid as she
unfolds the message. She reaches the peak of her message on
page 189, where she displays the Wahls Paleo Plus food pyramid. This pyramid includes:
• The basis of our diet should be healthy fats: omega-3s,
coconut oil, olive oil, etc.
• Consume 6-9 cups of vegetables per day.
• Fruit is limited to 1 cup per day.
• Eliminate all grains, legumes, and white potatoes, including
rice and all forms of soy.
• Meat should not exceed 12 oz. per day. Meat should be wild,
and/or grass fed, and without exposure to antibiotics, hormones, and grains.
Each step of Dr. Wahls’ message is logical and well documented
in literature. Her anecdotal stories, including her own, add hope
and conviction for her audience. Her book is the best clinical
application book that I have read so far this year, and one of
V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
Dr. Terry Wahls is the author of three books and is a leading speaker on the
power of intensive nutrition and often shares her experience of going from
a wheelchair to an active life style including biking.
24
Donor Roll
2013-2014
Corporate and
Foundation Donors
FOOT LEVELERS
FRANK SOVINSKY GARY STEWART
RYAN SWEET ROBERT TARANTINO KARIN VARTIA
GARY WALSEMANN SUSAN WALSEMANN GARY WEINSTEIN TIM YODER YVONNE YURICHKO LATCH, SO & HIPP CHIROPRACTIC
NCMIC
STANDARD PROCESS
WILLIAM M. HARRIS
FAMILY FOUNDATION
President’s Circle Members
DAVID AMARAL DARCY ANDERSEN JOHN ANDRUS JOSEPH AWENDER II DONNA AWENDER
CARL BAZE ANATOLE BOGATSKI
AMY BOVENKAMP DAVID BUTTERS JUDY BUTTERS
RAELYNN CANCEL CARL DIETER PHILIP DIETER ZACHARY DONNICI OHN DONOFRIO CLIFFORD FISHER SCOTT GAMM
TIMOTHY J. GAY MRS. JUDY GAY
IRENE GOLD DAVID GUZZARDO DEED HARRISON SHIRLENE HARRISON CHRISTOPHER HILL JULIA KEISER BRIAN KELLY MARK KIMES KATHLEEN KINNEY THOMAS KLAPP MARK KORDONSKI DANIEL LATCH JOHN LAYMAN
BRIAN LONG DOUGLAS LONG CURTIS MARTIN ROBERT MARTINES CHRISTINA MEAKIM GERALDINE MULHALL-WRIGHT DANIEL MURPHY AMIT NANDA MARTHA NESSLER REBECCA NYSTROM PALMER PEET GEORGE PIERCE JASON SABO JUDY SCOTT
REUBEN SENDEJAS STEVEN SILK 25
Life West Supporters
DANIEL ABECKJERR JAMES ALDRIDGE GEORGE AMARAL
JERI ANDERSON CLAUDIA ANRIG JORDAN ARBIT JOSEPH AWENDER TONI BEST JOSEPH BETZ JACQULYN BIRON
DREW BOSTER
DONNA BOYLAN
JOHN BUELER JR. JACALYN BUETTNER WANDA BUTTERLY
TESS BUTTERS
GEORGE CASEY ALLISON CATAPANO GERARD CLUM CANDI CROSS ROBERT DALE DEAN DEPICE SCOTT DONALDSON
MICHAEL DOWNEY DONALD DURANSO JOSEPH DZIEZGOWSKI TYLER EVANS KAREN FAIRFIELD ANGELICA FARRELL MARY FLANNERY JAMES GALGANO ANTONIETTA GALGANO SKYLAR GEMMER CHARLES GIBSON AARON GILLESPIE FRANCIS GILSON BETH GREENE
AMIE GREGORY KEITH HARDOIN DONALD HARTE GORDON HASICK DAVID HEALEY PAULA HEDGLON THOMAS HENDRICKSON PAUL HODGSON DAVID HOEWISCH JOHN HOFMANN
VALENTYNA HOHL
DAVID HOHL
MATTHEW HUBBARD ANNA HUGHES ROGER HULSEBUS D.D. HUMBER THOMAS HURST WALLACE JANS PAMELA JANS
DALE JOHNSON
HARI KHALSA JERRY KNOX JEN KORDONSKI JOSEPH LEEDY DEBORAH LINDEMANN JAMIE LUCIA EILEEN MADAY VENUS MAHER ALIAKBAR MANAFI-SHEMIRANI NALYN MARCUS LARRY MASULA JOE MERLO PETER MORGAN MICHAEL MUNDY THERESA MUNDY CHRISTOPHER MURPHY BRYAN NATUSCH TERO NIKULAINEN JACK NOELLE RACHEL NOVAK RONALD OBERSTEIN MARY OBERSTEIN RALPH ORTIZ CARRIE OUSLEY JENNIFER PADRTA ALISON PELLICANE BRIAN PRAX JENNIFER PRAX REID RASMUSSEN PAUL REED ARMAND ROSSI GREGG RUBINSTEIN THOMAS SAEMAN ERIC SEIF TANYA SEIF RON SIMMS MARGARET SMITH MELODY SPEAR DAVID SPEAR JOSHUA STEINKE BRIAN STENZLER PAIGE THIBODEAU ANDRE TIO KYLE TROYER KWELI TUTASHINDA CRAIG WARHURST JANET WESDORF DARREN WHITE MORGAN KAYE WOODS YVONNE YURICHKO TINA ZADRAVECZ SPONSORS
Silver
JIMMY NANDA DAVID EUGSTER BOBBY GISE GARY LAMBERT FRED SCHOFIELD
DAN MURPHY SUSAN SCHOFIELD
Members
AN CEBALLOS
BRIAN CURTIS
RAY DAVIS
MIKE DE NAPOLI TIFFANY DELGADO
SEAN DRAKE STEVEN ELLIOTT NORMAN FENG
BRIAN FLANNERY GLENN FREDERICKSEN SETH HENDRICKSON LACEY HENDRICKSON DAVID HOHL
KENDRA HOLLOWAY VICKI HUDSON
CHRISTOPHER HUFFORD
KIM HUGGETT
BILLY JAMES
WALLACE JANS NINA KEMPF
JOE LEISE
LEO LOH
MICHAEL MARTIN TERRANCE MCAULIFF JOSEPH MESSIHA
JAMES MILLIRON JON NICHOLS BERNARDO E. PALOMARES
COREY RODNICK PAUL SANTINELLI
BRAD SCHRAM
JO SCHRAM
STEVEN SILK LOU SPORTELLI WILLIAM STUART
DAN SUNDSTROM CHRIS TANNOUS
BRUCE THOMAS
KEVIN THOMPSON ANNIE VALENZUELA
WAYNE WOLFSON CHRIS WOOD Rugby Supporters
Spartans
TROY DREILING BETH GREENE Corporate Partner
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V O L 36, I S S 1 | L I F E S T Y L E S
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25001 Industrial Blvd.
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L I F E S T Y L E S | V O L 36, I S S 1