Elissa Chapman

I am very excited to be part of the Acupuncture Relief Project and thrilled to be the first Australian to participate.

I received a Bachelor of Applied Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2005 from the University of Western Sydney and completed my clinical training at the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Nanjing, China.

So far I have worked mostly as a solo practitioner, seeing patients one on one.  In the Vajra Varahi clinic, we will be working in a team and we will be treating patients in a group setting.  It will be a great opportunity to share ideas and experience, and to be part of the community in Chapagaon.  Nepal  is home to some of the poorest and most underserviced communities in the world and I am very enthusiastic to see the difference that a low cost, safe and practical medicine such as acupuncture can make to the quality of life of people who have very little affordable healthcare.

Thank you for your support in this endeavour.

Seven Crow

My dream of combining medicine, travel, spiritual inquiry, and service to others comes true with this remarkable opportunity to volunteer for The Acupuncture Relief Project. Since I was young I yearned to travel to other countries to learn alternative forms of health care, which led me to my first adventure in East Africa. There I observed herbal medicine and acupuncture used for malaria treatment in Tanzania and Zanzibar with excellent success, solidifying my goal to study holistic practices.  Previously trained in Shiatsu (Japanese bodywork) and acupressure, I worked with HIV/AIDS patients in California and witnessed the healing effects of touch on patients with terminal illnesses. My continued work with adults and youth with mental, emotional, behavioral and addiction problems has deepened my understanding of illness within a body-mind-spirit framework, central to Chinese medicine, and has encouraged me to study further at The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, in Portland, OR.

Over the years I worked as a rape counselor in California, then with teenagers in residential and institutional care at Morrison Kids and Janus Youth in Portland, OR. As an intern and observer of Chinese medicine I have had the honor to work at Quest, Outside In, and Hooper Detox, while also attending seminars with Acupuncturists Without Borders and Working Class Acupuncture. These programs have helped to shape the direction I wish to take, merging mental wellness with holistic health care.

Whether in public health, rural communities or refugee camps, my hope is to be of service by utilizing my education, while expanding my knowledge outside of the classroom setting. I feel truly privileged and honored to serve the people of Chapagoan, and cannot think of a better way to give back than to share the beautiful medicine I have learned.

Thank you for supporting me on this journey!

Katy Kemp

My first journey to Nepal was a wild and wondrous exploration of a land and people who live in the most magnificent place on planet earth. The natural beauty did not capture me as much as the beautiful spirits of the Nepali people. To live on so little but to encompass such radiance truly touched my soul. My heart was awakened after this trip in 1999 and I have been dreaming of the day of my return. I can’t express in words my gratitude for being a practitioner with of the 2012 team.

I will be the first Physical Therapist volunteering with the Acupuncture Relief Project. My intention is to treat patients and to train others to restore vitality, strength and motion caused by deficiencies in the biomechanics of the body. Using my specialized physical therapy training, I hope to treat and teach the Nepali people how to optimize health and physical functioning to live the highest quality of life possible in the face of trauma, illness or aging.

My professional path began in 2006 when I graduated from Pacific University with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.  Today I primarily work with seniors in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. The wisdom and courage of my elders inspires me to take my physical therapy knowledge and skills to the communities of Chapagoan.

I am honored to serve the people of Nepal. This journey will undoubtedly allow us to touch countless numbers of lives needing our expertise and compassion. Thank you for your generous support.

Jessica Maynard

I am honored to be joining the Acupuncture Relief Project next winter!  I am very excited to have such an amazing opportunity to treat those in need of healthcare in Chapagoan, Nepal.  I envision this trip as embarking upon a career helping people in the world who need it the most.  As this will be my first time visiting a third world country, I expect many lessons along the way.

I feel I have long been drawn to a healing path, and have happily found my way to Chinese medicine and Acupuncture.  Post-college, some of the things I have done include food service, carpentry, teaching gymnastics, and Spanish-English healthcare interpreting.   This upcoming fall I will be finishing my graduate degree in Chinese medicine, and with this discipline of healing in hand and heart, I have found the way that resonates with me to be of service to patients. 

Along with my excitement for this trip, I must say that I am also extremely humbled by this opportunity!  I have no doubt that as much as I have something to give the patients in the way of healing, they in return will teach me lessons that I have never dreamed of learning.  And as much as I have a gift of healing to bring, their gifts of spirit will be a beautiful and welcome return.

Thank you so much for your contributions to this cause! 

Keith McDonald

After what seems like an eternity, I have finished the Classical Chinese Medicine Program at NCNM!  Now I add Chinese Medicine to a diverse array of healing techniques acquired through almost 15 years as a professional bodyworker.  I truly enjoy interacting with people who are committed to their healing and feel blessed to be in this position of service to the human community.  My primary interests are in Orthopedic and Trauma care and rehabilitation including debilitating Neurological disorders like Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons and Stroke.

I’m spreading my fledgling acupuncture wings and leaping out into the wind.  A wind that blows me half way around the world to spend two months with the Acupuncture Relief Project in Chapagoan, a rural community near Kathmandu, Nepal.  Nepal has one of the worst healthcare delivery systems in the world and there is much we can do to help.  I’m so excited about the opportunity to share my newly acquired skills in Chinese Medicine with such an underserved population.  I also look forward to the new skills, friends and memories that I will bring back from this experience.

On this healing journey my team will touch over 3600 people, sharing our medicine, compassion and smiles.  This would not be possible without your generosity and support.  Thank you!