When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
Chiropractic Documentary, Round 2
In the wake of the national airing of the chiropractic documentary, "From Simple Beginnings," local DCs have ordered the program for airing on their local TV stations. Much to their surprise, many public access channels have run the documentary at no charge.
Other groups of local chiropractors have paid relatively small fees to see the chiropractic documentary aired multiple times in their communities. Bradley Reich, DC, and five other Wisconsin chiropractors, for instance, arranged to have the chiropractic documentary aired 10 times over eight weeks. They combined it with their advertising, and managed to got local newspaper coverage.
"This is something every DC should be doing," said Dr. Reich. "We all need to educate our communities about chiropractic."
Dr. James Hirning of Grants, New Mexico relates his success: "I am the only chiropractor in my town who attended the centennial and saw it (the documentary) there. I was very excited about it after that. When I found the CCF was giving it to stations for local airing, I wanted to do my part. It is something that needs to be done to change public opinion and attitudes about chiropractic. All four chiropractors in my town got together and ran an ad to promote public viewing of the documentary. This was the first time in recent memory that all four chiropractors got together. This brought unity among us chiropractors. These bonds need to continue to grow and be stronger, not only in small towns and states, but nationally. It was so easy to get aired, we'd like to do it again. The fact that it was free was icing on the cake."
Just because you tell your story once, doesn't mean you should stop telling it. The Chiropractic Centennial Foundation (CCF) aired the chiropractic documentary 31 times on 24 television stations across the US. In addition, one of the CCF's television commercials was aired five times to a total audience of over 1.3 million households
The chiropractic documentary is now cresting the second wave, bolstered by the release of a 30-minute version of "From Simple Beginnings." While just as powerful as the full 60 minute presentation, this edited version will make getting the broadcast on public access and local cable stations easier and cheaper.
As a further incentive, chiropractic philanthropist William Harris, DC, has offered up to $20,000 in 20 percent matching funds to the first three chiropractic state associations, societies or groups of DCs to help them air the chiropractic documentary in their area.
Dr. Harris' contribution of up to $60,000 is part of his commitment to inform the public about the benefits of chiropractic care. Dr. Harris' offer expires on December 2, 1996.
To arrange for a production copy of "From Simple Beginnings" you may contact the Chiropractic Centennial Foundation at (319) 326-9626. To find our more about Dr. Harris' matching funds offer, please contact the Foundation for the Advancement of Chiropractic Education by fax at: (770) 740-0509.