Hands On India
When Dr Noel Patterson approached us to assist with several new portable treatment tables to work with the ‘Hands On India’ project we were delighted to be given the opportunity to be involved in such a meaningful and practical program.
Those of you in the chiropractic world may be familiar with Dr Noel Patterson, a sports specialist chiropractor. He was Past President of the Chiropractic Association of Australia, Sports Council, and also Past President of the world-wide International Federation of Sports Chiropractic. He was also the first chiropractor in Australia to become officially part of an Australian sporting team.
‘Hands On India’ has been running for the last five years and is a Murdoch University initiative, where students travel to India to provide chiropractic care to the people of Siliguri. Siliguri is one of the poorest regions in India, in fact Mother Theresa initially started her work her before moving to Calcutta. A number of communities live along the riverbanks surrounding Siliguri. Living in dire poverty they earn money from breaking river stones and selling the rubble to building contractors. Their ‘back breaking’ work coupled with appalling living conditions and diseases such as TB, cholera and leprosy constitute a bleak reality.
In December, a group of 22 chiropractic students and 9 qualified chiropractors spent two weeks, at nine makeshift field clinics, providing health care for all members of the community in need. They treated over 5000 patients visits over that period, with some patients patiently waiting for seven hours until their treatment.
‘Hand on India’ is now expanding and Macquarie School of Chiropractic in Sydney will send their first team to Siliguri in September 2011 with Murdoch University due back in December 2011. You can donate to the Hands on India project www.handsonindia10.wordpress.com
Athlegen is an Australian-owned designer, manufacturer and distributor of innovative treatment and massage equipment, chiropractic tables, Osteo tables, electric massage and treatment tables, lightweight portable massage tables and massage chairs. Founded in 1988, the company is a market leader in Australia and its portable tables are used and endorsed by the Victorian Institute of Sport. Athlegen is the official supplier to the Australian Olympic team and has been for 20 years. Athlegen has developed an global reputation as a high quality supplier of treatment and massage tables exporting to more than 35 countries.
