Spinal Missions is a non-profit organization of Chiropractic doctors, students, and others that have a burning desire to serve people of underprivileged nations in addressing health care issues. The main goal of this organization is to provide passionate Chiropractic care to those in under served areas in developing cultures.
Spinal Missions, a federal recognized 501 © 3, began as an idea while sitting in the back of a Life University classroom. Dr. Shannon Darrow states, “My classmates and I were discussing the lack of access to chiropractic care throughout the world and what we felt like we could do to make an impact on that problem.”
At the conclusion of the conversation “I felt a burning desire to find a way to serve people in other areas of the world. It was like a spark was ignited within me. I spent the next three weeks searching how I could start serving in other countries. Unfortunately I could not find any resources on this subject.” After talking to one of my closest friends at the time, she led me to think of El Salvador as a starting point for mission trips; mainly because her family was from El Salvador. So there it began in 2008, our first of many trips to El Salvador. I planned it out, asked a few friends to join and off we went. Needless to say I was overwhelmed with the outpouring from the community. I knew I had found my calling within the Chiropractic profession.
From that day, every trip with Spinal Missions has been completely unique. We currently operate in two countries and the community out pour that our team receives when our vans roll into town is absolutely infectious.
We understand that for many doctors to take time away from their practices, family and home can be quite arduous. In helping to aide this small burden we have set up a full 32 units of continuing education that doctors will have access to complete with each trip. As a doctor myself I can understand the need to get CE’s done, so we wanted to help solve that problem. And to be honest, what a better way to get your CE’s? Serve on a mission trip and learn more about the profession we all love. Being able to offer such a program is an incredible experience because not only will doctors have time in the set schedule to perform mission work but they will also earn their CE credits.
It has been my observation that the involvement in a mission trip impacts yours views not only on Chiropractic, but on life in general. It is amazing to witness doctors and students connect and talk about their practices and how many who were on the verge of being burnt but as the trip concludes it has re-ignited their passion for serving. The feeling of pure joy and simplicity of delivering an adjusting to a person in an open and accepting environment is absolutely amazing and can rekindle any fire that maybe losing its flame.
As I look forward in chiropractic, it is with great hope and desire that we can continue to grow as a profession and truly make a global impact. It is astounding that you can put two chiropractors together from completely different views, different spectrum’s and when they both deliver an adjustment, they simply come together. There is no need for arguing, no need to over explain or try to convince someone or your correctness, just allowing the body to receive as the doctor shares and stimulates innate.
At the core of Spinal Missions, is the desire to expand the accessibility to chiropractic care, to educate governments about the application of chiropractic and the fiscal impact it can within their healthcare system. Spinal Missions welcome you to join them for an amazing life changing experience. You will get the opportunity to serve many people with Chiropractic care so they may live life at a higher level through a completely functioning nervous system.
