Project: Volunteer Chiropractor
I, Graham Morland-Smith, am a McTimoney trained chiropractor with clinics in the south of England. I first visited Sri Lanka three years ago. My intention then was to treat people with neck, shoulder, back and body pains—perhaps due to the after-effects of the Tsunami—who could not afford such treatment.
The therapy/treatment involved keeps the body in a natural position and then uses fast and relatively gentle 'stretches' helps to free areas of tightness pain, as well as restoring the body to its normal function and balance. It is part of our belief that if problems with the body's structure and function are resolved then the body's own healing process will be able to work most effectively.
In 2005, on the east coast, I began treating people with a range of conditions. I also made many contacts; so that when I returned in 2006-7, I worked at Mayura clinic in Agalawatta as well.
Unfortunately in the intervening year one of the villages where I had worked was now suffering ethnic tensions and it was not possible to organize suitable treatment clinics. However I began working instead with a project situated in the Brothers of Charity sponsored community project in Kalmunai. I then briefly visited the Rural Knowledge Centre in Koslanda. I will be returning to both these projects in early January 2008.
I am always impressed by the lovely people I meet in Sri Lanka. It also pleases me greatly to see the benefits people experience as a result of the treatments.
My intention this year is to—as before—to treat people of all ages, and perhaps to teach one or two people in each area some basic helpful safe techniques, so that others can be helped after I have returned to the U.K. I did this with the staff at the Mayura clinic and they have been doing good work ever since.
It is my (and my colleagues’) plan in future to include other people in this charitable work with the intention that there will be annual visits to continue treating and working with the people of Sri Lanka.
