FEATURED DONOR
PROFILE
Drs . Claire and Stephen Welsh
Individual Donor Spotlight
Drs . Claire and Stephen Welsh are alumni donors to Life University and no strangers to adversity . When Dr . Claire was a newly licensed chiropractor , her son who was away at college was hit by a car . He was thrown 20 feet through the air , had a lacerated liver , a collapsed lung because of internal hemorrhaging and a minor fracture of his lower back .
“ I was a new graduate ,” Dr . Claire recalls . “ I was trying to find a ‘ better ’ chiropractor to adjust him to help his recovery . When I was asking one of my mentors if he would adjust [ my son ], he pointed his finger at me and said , ‘ You adjust that boy .’ He walked away from me — I was in shock . Now I realize I needed to believe in my ability and trust my training .”
Dr . Claire continued , “ I think sometimes , when you start out in the profession , you think you are starting for one reason — but I think when you look back , you see things you couldn ’ t have even imagined — that if you weren ’ t who you were today you wouldn ’ t have been able to deal with it . For me it started out simple because it helped me , and I believed I could then help other people . Now I look at it as a much bigger picture .”
Dr . Stephen Welsh is the President of the International Chiropractors Association ( ICA ) and Dr . Claire Welsh is on the board . “ To me , that step , going from practice — where I hate giving up the adjusting and walking away from that — to being on the board , allows me such an opportunity to impact the world . That is why I believe in giving back to Life University because I wouldn ’ t be who I am today without it .”
A year and a half ago they were both on a trip with the ICA to China . “ Stephen was the one being honored as he was a board member at the time , and I was not a board member ,” she shared . “ At the end of our first day , I was asked to speak the next day . I had to quickly prepare something , and I thought it was only 70 people in the room and didn ’ t think it was too difficult . Then I discovered afterwards that it was live streamed to more than half a million people .” The main lesson she learned from this experience is that you never know what single action could touch thousands of lives .
She attributes this success to studying at LIFE . “ If LIFE hadn ’ t prepared me and ignited that passion to a vision bigger than ‘ These are the people I can adjust today ,’ if that fire hadn ’ t been lit , I don ’ t know what would ’ ve happened ,” Dr . Claire shared . “ So for me , giving back to Life University gives me the opportunity to touch someone else , so that when we are gone , the message will continue . As you get older , you begin to ask yourself what you want your legacy to be , and this is mine .”
When COVID-19 began shutting down businesses , Dr . Stephen Welsh felt like the media was spreading panic and wanted to be a voice of help in the chaos , so he started creating a daily video for all the members of the ICA . It ’ s something that they share with their communities , and people who are not ICA members often email or write letters to the Welshes , saying thank you for the help the doctors give them . “ As more data came out , it became evident that there wasn ’ t a reason to panic , but at the same time the media was creating more panic ,” Dr . Stephen said . “ We are at a tipping point and seeing the weaknesses of the medical system , and it is our job as chiropractors to keep showing people the alternative of creating health instead of treating sickness . That is what we are doing through the ICA .”
Chiropractic was a second career for Dr . Stephen . He started at LIFE when he was 44 and graduated when he was 48 . “ In the corporate world , I realized I was just a number , but when I saw Dr . Claire in her practice , I saw that she was having more fun and impacting more people far greater than what I did as a number in the corporate world . That ’ s why I went to LIFE and graduated in ’ 96 ”
Dr . Claire believes everyone can give back somehow . “ It may not be a huge financial contribution , but after he graduated , Dr . Stephen went back and taught some of the business classes at LIFE because he had real-life experience that he wanted to give back .” She suggests that graduates can come talk to small groups of students or get involved with clubs on campus .
“ People are now looking for what [ chiropractors ] have to offer . If there could be any positive within current events , I hope there is a change in the way the public will start thinking about Health Care and Sick Care ,” Dr . Claire said . “ I also want to challenge our community to step up to the responsibility we have to serve our communities . It is our legacy to leave .”
Dr . Stephen wants students to know that , even if they feel overwhelmed , to just focus on each next step in their journey . “ One of my favorite phrases when things get tough is , ‘ How do you eat an elephant ? One bite at a time !’” he said . “ You do a little bit and a little bit more , and you don ’ t give up . When you keep that positive focus , you make things happen .”
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Drs . Stephen (‘ 96 ) and Claire Welsh (‘ 88 )
“ I also want to challenge our community to step up to the responsibility we have to serve our communities . It is our legacy to leave .”
Alumni . LIFE . edu | 2020
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