Life West Faculty Member Leads Chiropractic Team to Cambodia
While the plight of Haiti has been on everyone's minds for the past few months as the earthquake-torn country and its people have fought for their very survival, it's important to remember that other countries are in dire need of our help, not just financially but in terms of chiropractic. Enter Life Chiropractic College West faculty member (and alumn) Kim Khauv, DC, MPH, who led a team of 12 college interns who traveled to rural parts of Cambodia for two weeks in December 2009. The chiropractic team provided care to more than 1,500 Cambodians over the two-week period, the majority of whom were children, elderly and the very sick from local villages.
Arrangements for the trip were made with cooperation from government officials, village leaders and orphanage directors. The Life West team was joined by volunteer organizer Aireen Navarro and volunteer chiropractors Dr. Amy Vevoda, and Dr. Nathan Clem, both from Seattle, Wash. According to a press release from the college, the trip was the culmination of a long-held dream by Dr. Khauv to bring chiropractic back to his homeland. His family fled Cambodia in 1981 after the Khmer Rouge initiated agricultural reform leading to widespread famine and genocide.
Dr. Khauv is certainly no stranger to humanitarian efforts; in fact, after completing his education (doctor of chiropractic and master's of publica health), he launched the nonprofit organization Well-Balanced World, with every intention of returning to his native Cambodia to provide chiropractic to the people of his country. The December trip seems to be a great step in that direction, and a second trip is planned for this winter.
"I sincerely appreciate Life West for their support," said Dr. Khauv. "The devoted doctors and dedicated interns who came along allowed me to live out my dream of bringing chiropractic to Cambodia."
