Kristi Hudson, Director of Special Projects
He says he wants to be a chiropractor. When I was ten, I wanted to be a race car driver. His friends want to create video games, become major league baseball players and YouTubers. (Is this really a profession?) In the wake of the Katie May autopsy report, chiropractic is once again taking a hit in the slanted view of the national media and since my child is more plugged into the world news than I am at times, he had questions.
While cooking dinner tonight, we discussed the news reports that called chiropractic dangerous. He simply stated, “They obviously haven’t been to a chiropractor.” He asked questions about her fall, her visits to her chiropractor and I answered them as best as I could. Then he asked, “Do you think that having my neck adjusted is dangerous? That is what they think hurt her, right?” My heart broke that he would ask and I told him, “The chances are 1 in a million.” He didn’t say much and just kept stirring his vegetables on the stove. I started to wonder if I had made a mistake in discussing this with him. He is only 10 and I don’t want him to be scared of going to the chiropractor. Several minutes later, he matter-of-factly said, “Momma, I have a better chance of getting struck by lightning.”
He is right. Depending on where you live, you do have a better chance of being struck by lightning than being killed from a chiropractic adjustment. For days, my emotions have varied between sadness for a life ended too soon and angry over the crumbling ethics of modern day journalism. For over 100 years, this profession has been bullied for its non-invasive and holistic approach to healing. As a profession, it is time to come together and stand up to our bullies who would call chiropractic dangerous. What are they afraid of? I wish I knew.
I am his momma and even when he is 21 and I still claim to be 29, he will be my baby. I was sad that I had to have this conversation with him and concerned about what he would face if he still wants to be a chiropractor when he gets older. After we spoke, I was grateful for this glimpse of his quiet thoughts and wisdom. He understands the dangers of lightning and yet; he is still willing to dance in the rain. I am confident that he has what it takes to face the same challenges that stand before you in his journey to become a Doctor of Chiropractic. I also know that his journey will be made better by your leadership and hard work. I am so grateful for the blessing of being his mother and the series of circumstances that made chiropractic a part of our lives.
In the south, mothers have a long-standing tradition of mothering their children and the children in their communities. As a mom, I am here to remind you to be brave, make good decisions and stand up for what you know is true, event when the media would say that you are wrong. The road ahead of you isn’t always easy, but this profession has never been more ready to stand up for what we believe in.
Kristi Hudson is the Director of Special Projects and Administrator of the ChiroHealthUSA Foxworth Family Scholarship. Since 2010, she has worked with state associations, COCSA, F4CP, and the CCGPP to provide educational awareness on changes within the profession. As of December 2016, ChiroHealthUSA has donated over $945,000 to support the chiropractic profession. To apply for the scholarship, go to https://www.chirohealthusa.com/students/.
Why is the Discount Challenge prize amount $11,181? Because that is the average “per-occurrence” fine for Medicare inducements. That’s not $11,181 per patient, that’s not per provider, that’s PER VISIT. Stinks, doesn’t it? To us, the prize amount is worth the investment if we can help our profession better understand proper discounting.