Recognition CMCC appoints new Canada Research Chair The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) has announced a new Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation has been awarded to Dr. Pierre Côté, director, UOITCMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation. The CRC is valued at $500,000 over five years. “CMCC is delighted to learn that Dr. Pierre Côté has been awarded this chair,” said Dr. Jean Moss, president, CMCC. “This award recognizes his many contributions to the world of disability management and rehabilitation. I am confident that this will provide him the opportunity to continue to extend his research into key areas that will ultimately affect the health and well-being of Canadians.” The primary objective of the research program led by Côté is aimed at reducing disability related to musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in Canadians. The number of Canadians reporting a disability between 2001 and 2006 grew by 750,000 people; yet, few interventions are effective in preventing or rehabilitating MSK disabilities such as back pain, whiplash injuries and arthritis. The CMCC said through the UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation that Côté and his researchers are defining best practices for the prevention and rehabilitation of disability and contributing to policy development through knowledge transfer and exchange. As a faculty member at CMCC, Côté teaches and mentors chiropractic students in both the undergraduate and graduate studies programs. “Back and neck pain are leading causes of disability worldwide. Yet, we know very little about the best ways to prevent disability in people with these conditions,” said Côté. “As a Canada Research Chair, I will focus on developing innovative ways to reduce the burden of disability by creating a transdisciplinary research program. I am very honoured and humbled by this opportunity.” Côté graduated from the CMCC in 1989. In 1996, he obtained a Master of Surgery degree from the University of Saskatchewan where he studied the epidemiology of neck and back pain in the general population. He received a PhD in Epidemiology and a minor in Research Bioethics at the University of Toronto in 2002. In 2003, he was awarded a five-year New Investigator Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. For more on clinical management, visit www.canadianchiropractor.ca. Research MS research focus of new Alberta health initiative The Alberta government has released a multiple sclerosis (MS) plan that will help improve care and support innovative research for the almost 14,000 Albertans with the disease. The plan, called The Way Forward: Alberta’s Multiple Sclerosis Partnership, builds on Alberta’s leadership in MS research and care, and will help the province continue with its tradition of innovative medical research. The plan will further integrate services, provide for a more co-ordinated and comprehensive system of care, and promote greater partnerships with industry and among MS organizations, the health system and government. “MS is a challenging, unpredictable disease, and it can be difficult for people with MS to access the right services and supports, especially in rural areas,” said Alberta Minister of Health Fred Horne. “Our plan recognizes these challenges, and will make sure that we provide the supports possible and encourage research to advance MS treatment moving forward.” MS is an inflammatory disease in which the brain and spinal cord are damaged. Alberta has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with about 340 cases per 100,000, compared to about 240 cases per 100,000 nationally. “The Way Forward promises dignity and quality of life for all Albertans living with multiple sclerosis. We are extremely pleased to be one of the architects of this initiative on behalf of everyone in Alberta affected by this unpredictable disease,” said Neil Pierce, president, Alberta and Northwest Territories Division, MS Society of Canada. issues Parker University exec calls for ‘social movement’ for chiropractors LAS VEGAS — The president of Dallas, Texas-based Parker University posed a challenge to chiropractors to pursue a “social movement” that will unify doctors of chiropractic towards a common goal. In his address to attendees at the recent Parker Seminars in Las Vegas, Dr. Brian McAulay pointed to the significant gap between the high public favourability for chiropractors and low usage of chiropractic services. A recent Parker survey of 600 people showed 70 per cent are favourable towards chiropractors, yet the annual usage of chiropractic among the U. S. population is only eight per cent. In the same survey, 84 per cent of respondents would support someone who would want to pursue a career as a chiropractor. “For some reason, the American public don’t see the same link between spinal health and overall health,” McAulay said. “We have got to fix that disconnect.” The Parker president said creating a social movement that promotes the value of chiropractic would help narrow the high favourability- low usage gap that exists for chiropractors. He offered some key things that need to happen to facilitate the social movement for chiropractic. First and foremost is tolerance. “We have to increase tolerance of one another,” McAulay said. “We have to embrace our differences rather than separate us.” Chiropractors also need a plan, McAulay said, a goal to increase use of chiropractic as a health-care service. “What if we as a profession committed to double the usage of chiropractors from eight per cent to 16 per cent?” McAulay said, adding this would mean increasing the number of people going to a chiropractor in America from 25 million to 50 million. He asked chiropractors to strive to increase the number of patients they see this year, challenging them to “fill your capacity.” And, if they are already at capacity and at a comfortable level, “I challenge you to increase your capacity,” he said. McAulay suggests using daily affirmations to help chiropractors achieve this goal, by adding the doubling of chiropractic usage or increasing the number of patients to a chiropractor’s daily affirmations. Lastly, he said, the chiropractic social movement should involve service to the community by declaring a “day of service,” pursuing one of the Parker Principles, “Loving service is my first technique.” “Get involved in chiropractic service and think about what you can do in service,” McAulay said. He cited the annual Parker Serves as an example of chiropractors volunteering to serve the community. Parker Serves is an annual two-day event where volunteers donate their time helping out a deserving organization in the community. This year’s Parker Seminar in Las Vegas was held Jan. 9 to 11, with more than 2,100 attendees from across the U. S. and Canada. The conference featured more than 130 exhibitors and over 30 educational sessions. Leadership was this year’s conference theme and one of the keynote speakers was- Monica Wofford, a leadership development coach and speaker. In her keynote, Wofford talked about “contagious leadership” and the five key principles of leadership. “Every single thing you do… as a leader, rubs off on other people,” she said. The five essentials of contagious leadership are: • high confidence level, understanding who you are and who you are leading • effective and positive communication • goals that are SIMPLE (specific, inclusive, mindful, passionate, linear and excluding doubt) • attitude, focusing on what people “do and could do and not who they are” • taking action Another key factor in becoming an effective leader is focusing on the followers. “If you’re not focused on the people who follow you, then you’ll be tremendously skilled (but) alone,” Wofford said. By Mari-Len De Guzman Issues Chiropractic Summit adopts official position of ‘drug-free’ practice Close to 40 organizations and associations comprising the Chiropractic Summit, based in Arlington, Va., have adopted a unified public position on chiropractic science and practice as a drug-free approach to health care. At a meeting of the Summit organizations in Seattle, Wash., on Nov. 7, 2013, the Summit adopted a “historic statements of agreement” which includes the drug-free approach in chiropractic. “The drug issue is a non-issue because no chiropractic organization in the Summit promotes the inclusion of prescription drug rights and all chiropractic organizations in the Summit support the drug-free approach to health care,” the official statement said. “I am proud to say today that after much time, effort and energy, the Summit partner organizations – representing the leadership of our profession – have come to an agreement on the long divisive issue on drugs,“ said Summit chair Dr. Lewis J. Bazakos. “This truly was an historic meeting.” First convened in September 2007, the Chiropractic Summit represents leadership from some 40 organizations within the profession. The Summit meets regularly to collaborate, seek solutions and support collective action to address challenges with the common goal of advancing chiropractic. In a statement, the International Chiropractic Association (ICA) welcomed the Summit’s position on the issue of prescription drugs in chiropractic. “This definitive and unequivocal position statement puts to rest any question as to position of all of the credible organizations within the chiropractic profession on the issue of drugs,” said ICA president Dr. Michael S. McLean. “This united front will allow the world of chiropractic to move forward with a new focus on the essentials of chiropractic’s unique approach to health and healing and stop the divisive and wasteful efforts required to address the drug agenda of a tiny sliver of the profession.” The ICA, a member of the Chiropractic Summit, has always advocated for clear lines of distinction between the health-care professions and stood for a drugless, non-surgical national definition of chiropractic. The ICA has maintained a no-compromise policy on the issue of drugs in chiropractic and has acted on a wide range of fronts – legislative, legal and in the media – to preserve this unique and highly positive aspect of chiropractic. “ICA has been outspoken about all professions being obliged to qualify to perform any service at the highest standard of education and testing. It is on this basis, for example, that ICA has challenged the physical therapy profession’s desire to expand their scope in numerous states to include spinal manipulation, with a less than adequate level of education. The authority to prescribe and administer medications has traditionally been understood under the law as the practice of medicine,” the ICA said in a statement. “The unanimously adopted Summit statement has stopped any erosion of chiropractic’s positive, clear identity from the issue of drugs, and established a firm, positive foundation on which powerful new growth for our profession can be anchored,” said Dr. McLean. “ICA is proud of its historic position on drugs and excited that the vital centre of the profession, as represented by the Summit, has now come together with us. It is the right thing to do for the chiropractic practitioner, patient and for our national health-care system.” ICA has maintained that the public is entitled to one truly drug-free system of health care and doctors of chiropractic are fully trained and qualified to fill that role with proven clinical and cost effectiveness. “For more than a century, the marketplace has sustained and supported chiropractic on the basis of its unique, drugless approach to health and healing. This is especially crucial at a time when our society at-large is recognizing the alarming complexities, costs and complications of a drugbased approach to treatment and the trend is strongly in the direction of a minimalist approach regarding drugs, and with good reason,” the ICA said. By Mari-Len De Guzman HEALTH AND WELLNESS Exercise is positive prescription for child cancer survivors Childhood cancer survivors can be among active youngsters, reaping the benefits of exercise and youth sports by following post-treatment guidelines and keeping their doctors informed. Exercise can even play a role during the treatment of some cancers, according to the U.S. National Children’s Cancer Society (NCCS). Post-treatment exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular effects, low bone density and obesity, and overall improve a child or teen survivor’s quality of life. “Physical activity is important for pediatric cancer survivors’ health and emotional well-being,” said Pam Gabris, a nurse and the Beyond the Cure co-ordinator for NCCS. “Parents should work closely with their child’s doctors to gauge how much physical activity is right for their child, and monitor exercise programs and athletic involvement to maximize the benefits and monitor the child for late-term effects.” Gabris cautioned, for example, that certain types of chemotherapy used in treating childhood cancer may lead to heart disease, which could then be aggravated by strenuous activity. But most children and teen cancer survivors can follow age-appropriate aerobic exercise recommendations for the general population of the same age, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, which developed exercise guidelines for cancer survivors. For more information about helping a childhood cancer survivor start an exercise or sports program, visit Beyond the Cure at www.beyondthecure.org.