January 17, 2014 — Patriot Project Founder, Timothy P. Novelli, DC, recently received the 2014 Humanitarian Award from Performance Health and Parker College of Chiropractic for “unselfishly helping others.”
Chiropractic industry leaders have watched the growth of The Patriot Project from inception and notes this year’s Humanitarian Award represents Novelli’s dedication to building the foundation of a grassroots movement that provides chiropractic care to all active military personnel, their families, wounded warriors, and all Gold Star dependents.
Under Novelli’s leadership, The Patriot Project is now represented in 17 states with more than 250 member chiropractors.
Novelli noted: “My family and I have always been supporters of those who serve. However, two years ago, I was honored to be invited to travel to Texas to treat our soldiers at a HALO For Freedom wounded warrior event. Over the course of two days I treated over 150 soldiers and their families. I was deeply humbled by this experience and rank that weekend as the most professionally rewarding experience in my 28 years in practice.”
That weekend deepened his commitment to honor those willing to risk their lives for our freedoms and inspired him to do even more. Novelli started The Patriot Project, a grassroots movement to provide chiropractic care to active military members and their families, our Nation’s wounded warriors, and to the dependents of the fallen as a way of saying “thank you” to American soldiers for leaving their homes, jobs and families to protect our families and our freedoms.
Further, Novelli explains, “The number one cause of separation from the military is back pain and musculoskeletal complaints are the number one reason our military personnel seek treatment at any VA facility. Fifth percent of our soldiers that have served in Iraq or Afghanistan have sought care for musculoskeletal complaints. With these staggering statistics in mind, it is tragic that our deserving men and women serving our country don’t have adequate access to vital chiropractic care. It is imperative that we as chiropractors reach out to our men and women in uniform and provide them with the care they deeply need and deserve.”
For 2014, Novelli is developing a USO-type tour of military bases around the world to provide care to our soldiers on the front lines while urging all of his professional peers to become more than “a yellow ribbon patriot” and use your time, talent or treasure to truly help those who have served our country with dignity, pride and honor. He hopes to have more than 6,000 chiropractors join The Patriot Project this year to support the following six goals:
- Provide chiropractic care to active military, wounded warriors, and the dependents of the fallen free of charge.
- Make full chiropractic benefits in TRICARE care readily available for all active duty military, retirees, and veterans.
- Have chiropractic physicians commissioned as officers in all armed services.
- Have chiropractic physicians embedded in all forward operating bases of combat.
- Have a chiropractic department in every VA hospital and clinic.
- Educate veterans with service related disabilities have chiropractic benefit coverage through the Veterans Administration.
Source: The Patriot Project
