Free Health Services at Douglas Well, for most people anyway Jason Chan, OP Contributor If you paid for the medical/dental plan at Douglas College, there are many health services available to you. Massage therapy, chiropractics service, naturopathic medi- cine, and soft-tissue therapy-these are the main services available to full-time stu- dents, provided by the Green Shield Canada health plan. They are free for those covered by that health insurance plan, but soft tissue therapy provides coverage for only up to ten sessions. I sat down and had an interview with four practitioners and they all encourage those with any type of ailments, especially sports-related injuries, to pay them a visit. Therefore, these services are ideal for those who are on the col- lege’s numerous sports teams. My first appointment was with the registered massage therapist, Rob Hemsworth. This Manitoba university graduate holds a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and in education. He is a member of the BC College of Massage Therapists as well as an instructor at the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. Basically, he is trained to perform assessments to locate injuries. By employing the ancient art and science of manual therapy, muscles and joints are manipulated, thereby having an overall soothing effect on all systems of the human body. The massage therapist is available every Friday from 1 to 4pm in Room 1303 the first floor, next to the small café and the vending machines. For this specific service, clients are covered up to $300. A doctor’s referral is required, as is an appointment. Hemsworth can be reached at 604.430.1525, Next, I met with Dr. Baloo, B.Sc., DC. He is a licensed chiropractor and his services are available to students and athletes every Thursday from 10am to 2pm in Room 1303. Educated in Minnesota, Dr. Baloo has been in practice for over eight years. Because of his diverse clientelle, this chiropractor offers different techniques. He believes that he must vary treatment according to the patient’s needs. For stu- dents who are not covered, Dr. Baloo offers a reduced rate of $20 per visit, which typically lasts for 30 minutes. He would like to add that covered students and staff are entitled to a pair of custom-made prescription orthopedics. Apart from treating sports aches and pains, Dr. Baloo also does chiropractic consultation and evaluation. Referrals are not necessary. The chiropractor can be contacted at 604.430.1525 or 604.230.1021. The next practitioner is also a chiropractor. Dr. Rezza Partow, DC, CSCS, prac- tices a form of therapy called Active Release Technique (ART). This form of thera- py is perfect for those who suffer from muscle pain. According to Dr. Partow, stress can lead to negative changes in muscle tissue such as adhesions, which cause stiff- ness. ART aggressively lengthens the affected area, which then abets the therapist in releasing such unhealthy adhesions. Dr. Partow recommends that anyone who com- plains of back pain, neck and shoulder pain, or runner’s knee make an appointment with him. Originally hailing from Los Angeles, California, the good doctor has even had celebrity clients such as No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani and the band Bon Jovi. He hints that he may tell you more about them if you make an appointment with him. His office hours are Tuesdays from 10am to 2pm in Room 1303. He can be reached at 604.626.1647 or by email at reza@citahealth.com. Finally, I had a chat with Dr. Kristen Brown, ND. She is a naturopathic physi- cian who practices holistic medicine; that is, she treats the person as a whole. The physician recognizes that disease and sickness are caused by biological, psychologi- cal, and social factors; therefore, she treats the patient accordingly. As a family prac- titioner, the doctor treats many common health problems, such as insomnia, depres- sion, PMS, skin conditions, heart disease, stress, weight gain and loss, and diabetes. In practice, Dr. Brown uses therapeutics that helps the body’s natural self-healing process. Some examples are immune support, exercise prescription, and clinical nutrition. After graduating from Bastyr University in Seattle, Dr. Brown moved to Vancouver to practice. Her philosophy of and approach to medicine differ from conventional medicine in small ways: she emphasizes preventative measures to treat- ing maladies and although she did study pharmacology in medical school, she is not currently certified to prescribe pharmaceuticals in British Columbia. She can be contacted at 604.430.1525. So there you go. I bet most of you haven’t even heard of all these services. Furthermore, I bet you didn’t know that they are free for most of us here on campus. A News Update The conflict between the Douglas Students’ Union (DSU) and Douglas College continues on the question of the College withholding students’ dues from the Union. Last Wednesday afternoon, DSU representatives met with Blaine Jenson, Vice President of Education Services; Karen Maynes, Vice President of Finance for Douglas College; and Douglas College director of Finance Christine Worsley to begin the process of negotiations to solve the current crisis facing Douglas students and the administering of their dollars. Douglas Student Union Vs. Douglas College on the Withholding of Students’ Money Nichole Burton, OP News Editor As reported last week, Douglas College has decided to withhold money paid as Union dues by Douglas stu- dents to the DSU. This decision is in violation of the College’s supposed role in this process of collecting dues, which is to serve only as a go-between for stu- dents and the DSU with no decision-making power over the use of students’ money. The DSU will be making their proposal for resolu- tion to the College after they meet next Wednesday.