I doubt that Dr. Lou Sportelli, an iconic figure within our profession, could have anticipated the impact he would have on the future of chiropractic when he crossed the stage at Palmer College in 1962. I distinctly remember attending a Florida Chiropractic Association convention a decade ago and feeling a change in the air as Dr. Sportelli walked in the room. Not knowing who he was, I looked at Dr. Ray Foxworth and asked, "Who is he?"
I also heard fantastic stories about the man himself: his character, integrity, genuine love, and care when it comes to taking care of those around him. Tiffany Stevens, executive director of the Tennessee Chiropractic Association, shared a story of attending one of her first ChiroCongress meetings in Las Vegas. She and another attendee were shocked to discover that they did not have hotel rooms for the first night, and due to another event in Vegas, there were no rooms available.
Dr. Sportelli walked up to them, having never met them, and asked what was going on. After learning of their predicament, he promptly invited both of them to both stay at the house he was staying at in twon.
Dr. Gerry Clum has shared that he and Dr. Sportelli were in opposition for many years due to their respective positions within the ICA and ACA. While attending a meeting for the WFC in Nicosia, Cyprus, Dr. Clum became ill, and it was Dr. Sportelli who reached out when Dr. Clum was late for a meeting. For the rest of the day, Dr. Sportelli visited Dr. Clum's room frequently with food, water and chiropractic adjustments.
"I was confronted with the person and the man and the humanity who came to my aid. It changed my perspective. It changed our relationship. We have become good friends," said Dr. Clum.
These are just two of the many stories I have heard over the years about a larger-than-life man who can change the tone of a room by simply walking in – and is the first to extend his hand and offer help.
After 59 years of advocating for the chiropractic profession, Dr. Sportelli is working to move the profession forward in his position as president of the NCMIC Foundation. The NCMIC Foundation provides financial support for clinical, scientific and educational research, demonstrating the need for chiropractic and alternative care.
In the early years of chiropractic, legislation, litigation and lobbying were the only methods available to advance the profession. Today, Dr. Sportelli's mission is research and funding the research necessary to keep chiropractic moving forward. In a video on the NCMIC Foundation website, he states, "The most significant weapon for the profession is well-designed research to fully establish the value, cost and efficacy of chiropractic."
As part of that vision, this summer, the NCMIC Foundation announced its funding of two Ivy League chiropractic fellowships – the first of their kind.
On Oct. 30, 2021, Dr. Sportelli will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association for his devotion to the chiropractic profession and his commitment to research as a means to advance the chiropractic profession. Many of us cannot be as committed as Dr. Sportelli, but we can do our part to secure and advance the future of our profession by supporting chiropractic research.
When the NCMIC Foundation was established, Dr. Sportelli set a goal to reach $25 million in donations. To date, the foundation has received $16 million. We want to show Dr. Sportelli we appreciate the sacrifice and hard work that he has devoted to a profession; and that could have been eliminated at the hands of the AMA if not for him and many others. To learn more about the NCMIC Foundation, or to make a donation or sustaining gift, please visit ncmicfoundation.org.
Kristi Hudson is a certified professional compliance officer (CPCO). She serves as vice president of business relations at ChiroHealthUSA and administrator of the Foxworth Family Chiropractic Scholarship.