The legacy of chiropractic runs strong in some families, continuing through multiple generations. When Kalie Elizabeth Judge of LaSalle, Ill., receives her diploma from Palmer College of Chiropractic during commencement ceremonies at 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22, she will become the 32nd chiropractor in her family.
"I was asked the following question many times as a student at Palmer," said Kalie: "'Are you in chiropractic or is chiropractic in you?' It took me a while to understand what that truly meant, but I can answer that question now without any hesitation. Chiropractic is in me. It is an honor to be a part of this large family that all share a similar passion. It is my dream to bring health and healing to the world through the chiropractic principles and the five essentials of maximized living.
"I have had this dream since I was eight years old and I voiced my plans to become a chiropractor to my dad and my grandpa Doc while we were standing around the fire at The Lake. I learned more philosophy by the age of ten then most chiropractors do their entire lives. My grandpa Doc always used to make sure that we all had P.M.A. (positive mental attitude), and I know that those three letters helped keep my head up while I was going through Palmer and in the middle of heavy test loads. It is time to 'keep on keepin' on' now and I cannot wait to see what my future has in store for me.
"I'll keep this quote from B.J. Palmer in mind as I begin my life as a chiropractor, 'You never know how far reaching something you may say, think, or do will affect the lives of millions tomorrow.'"
In October 2006, her brother, James E. Judge, and cousin, Christopher M. Judge, graduated from Palmer College as the 28th and 29th in the Judge family to become chiropractors. Then in 2008 and 2009, respectively, Kalie's cousins, T.J. Sheedy and Zack Sheedy, graduated from Palmer to become the 30th and 31st members of the family to join the profession. Kalie plans to practice with her brother, Dr. James E. Judge, at his practice in St. Charles, Ill., following Friday's graduation.
There will be 22 members of the Judge family joining Kalie as she crosses the stage in the auditorium of Vickie Anne Palmer Hall on Palmer's Davenport Campus. It's a Palmer tradition that members of the graduate's family who have previously graduated from Palmer may join them onstage as they receive their diploma. She also will be having close to 50 additional family and friends there to celebrate this historical moment in the family's history.
The first generation of Judges to become chiropractors was represented by James Bernard Judge, DC, a 1925 graduate of the then Palmer School of Chiropractic. He died in 1956 after practicing first in Iowa, then British Columbia and finally in his hometown of Albia, Iowa. According to a family history, "Whenever illness occurred among the nine brothers and sisters and their spouses and progeny, there was never a question of where to go. 'Doc' took care of everything except obstetrics and broken bones. If a patient wasn't up to a trip to town, he would hang a sign on his office door and make a house call."
While serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II, Dr. James B. Judge's nephew, John J. Judge, decided to enter the profession, and the second generation made its entrance. Dr. John's brother-in-law, George Dickerson, entered Palmer; a few months later, John's brother, Thomas, became a Palmer student, too. Eventually, all four of John's brothers, three in-laws and one cousin graduated from palmer following World War II.
Kalie's grandfather, Dr. James E. Judge, graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1954 and continued to build to the legacy. Since his graduation from Palmer, four of his 10 children have followed in his footsteps.
"The greatest thing about this family tradition is that it doesn't just live with the doctors of chiropractic," said Kalie. "Each and every member of this large family is blessed to have chiropractic running through their blood. Even those who are not chiropractors live the chiropractic lifestyle and continue to spread the life-transforming message of chiropractic to the people around them."
The Judge family's chiropractic tradition will continue as the years go on. Another of Kalie's cousins will be graduating in the next year, and a few others are finishing up their prerequisites and will be starting at Palmer in the next few years.
Source: Palmer College of Chiropractic
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