Chiropractic Mission to India Helps Thousands

A feel-good story appeared in the March 8, 2006 issue of the Gwinnett Daily Post of Georgia that reported on a mission to Shivpuri, India to render chiropractic care to the people of that area. The story noted that in the span of 10 days, the American team of four doctors and 19 interns estimates they cared for about 5,000 people, totaling 10,000 visits

Included in the mission was Dr. Dennis Rattiner, pictured right, of Lilburn Georgia who was on his second mission to India. The mission began when Dr. Louis Leonardi, a chiropractor in Atlanta, went to the Indian town to study a form of local meditation called "agnihotra." In an attempt to thank the community, Leonardi set up a chiropractic table and offered free adjustments. The article reported that each day the lines grew longer until Leonardi called Rattiner and other chiropractors to assist him.

Also present on this mission for the first time was chiropractic student intern, Maria Raimondo. Raimondo was one of 19 students from Life University in Marietta and Parker Chiropractic College in Dallas, Texas who were along on the trip. She commented, "Chiropractic is a foreign concept to people anyway and trying to communicate even through a translator was difficult."

Although Raimondo tried to mentally prepare herself for the trip, the story notes that she was not prepared for the culture, or conditions of the patients who came for help. She said, "What we saw were different mentalities, clothes, beliefs and it was so overwhelming and yet eye-opening." The patients from the Indian village of Shivpuri and surrounding areas were suffering from ailments such as polio, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, diabetes, neurological conditions, stroke, pain syndromes, migraines and degenerative disc disease.

In commenting on comparing his most recent trip to the first time he went to India on a chiropractic mission Dr. Rattiner commented, "One big difference (between this trip and the last one) was there was a lot more media attention. Indian politicians and the media were interested in finding out how chiropractic could be a part of the Indian culture." He summed up what he liked best about the experience, "The best part for me as a chiropractor was not only seeing amazing miracles at my hands but this time I was able to give the experience to the student."