Chandra Burnham is a third-tri Northwestern University of Health Sciences student and a spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. Chandra is also the current Miss South Dakota.1 She is representing South Dakota – and the chiropractic profession – in the Miss USA Pageant on June 19, 2011 in Las Vegas.
For the first time in the pageant's history, an Internet vote will determine one of the semifinalists. In addition to her excellent qualifications, this gives Chandra an additional opportunity to be crowned Miss USA – but only if we participate on her behalf.
Chandra's goal is to win the Miss USA Pageant and speak out for chiropractic, both as a patient and as a future DC. Chiropractic care has made a huge impact on Chandra – it helped her overcome a debilitating knee problem she had for years; a problem that prevented her from enjoying her favorite hobbies such as running. After countless medical visits, she finally found relief with chiropractic care. As she says herself, "The pain was excruciating and now it's completely gone; I was so amazed."
Chandra "fell in love" with chiropractic because of the "miracles" she saw when patients came in for chiropractic care. From 2008-2010, she learned about chiropractic working in an office with two DCs. "As that first patient came in, I saw them get better, treatment after treatment, to the point where they were completely healed."
As mentioned, the Miss USA Pageant will take place on June 19. Depending on the specific day you receive this issue, that only gives you a few days, at most, to cast as many votes for Chandra as you can. The best part about the Internet voting process is that each of us can vote as many times as we want.
With more than 70,000 doctors of chiropractic caring for over 18 million patients, Chandra has a distinct advantage if we support her with our voting power. How can you participate and help Chandra reach the semifinals? Please take a moment and go to www.missusa.com, click on "Contestants," then scroll down and click on "vote" next to Chandra's photo: "South Dakota USA, Chandra Rae Burnham." You will be asked to confirm your vote and verify that you are 13 years of age or older. The voting process is quick and easy, and remember, you can vote as many times as you like.
Over the next few days, invite your patients and staff to vote as well. You can go online and get a printer-friendly copy of this article to pass out to your patients; you can do the same with the feature article on Chandra we published in To Your Health.2 Between these two articles, your patients will have ample background information on Chandra and why she is such a positive representative of chiropractic care.
A chiropractic student touring the world as Miss USA will provide tremendous positive exposure for chiropractic. This is well beyond anything we could ever afford. Let's vote Chandra into the semifinals and see if she can win the Miss USA crown. Vote now.
References
- Miss South Dakota USA 2011, Chandra Burnham. http://thepageantplanet.com/miss-south-dakota-usa-2011-chandra-burnham.html
- Duran B. "Natural Health in the Spotlight." To Your Health, April 2011.
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Click here for more information about Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher.