Disaster Relief: What AWB Is Doing (and How to Help)
Editorial Staff
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Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) is doing what it does best: helping people in need. In the wake of Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian, AWB is working in communities in the affected areas to help heal. Here's some of what the organization is and will be doing, per an AWB press release:
"In Florida, the Carolinas, and other southeastern states, we stand ready to collaborate with local acupuncturists and organizations to offer treatments once people are in stable environments.
"AWB [also] has been working in Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria. The same mountain communities devastated five years ago received the brunt of Hurricane Fiona [in September]. Our Puerto Rican team is providing care next week in Ponce and Aguadilla, and has asked that we send practitioners to help as the need is overwhelming.
"AWB practitioners from the US are going in mid-October to provide treatments in places like Aguada, Cabo Rojo, Guanica, Rincon, and Mayaguez. Our goal is to provide direct care for at least 4,000 people.
"We have also been invited to help organize care teams in Eastern Canada, where Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, and Port aux Basque have been devastated by Hurricane Fiona.
Acupuncturists Without Borders has launched a donation campaign to help the latest disaster victims and support the organization's work elsewhere. Click here to make a one-time or monthly donation. Choose "U.S. / Puerto Rico Disaster Relief." You can also use the donation site to support other AWB projects, such as community clinics, Israel or Nepal projects, among other campaigns; or simply "Anywhere it's Most Needed."
What is AWB providing? "[A]cupuncture, massage, and herbal medicine ... to communities coping with traumatic events. This care is very powerful and helps people feel supported, connected, and better able to rebuild." Learn more about AWB here.
Another approach to regulate the Yang Ming / Tai Yin circuit is to use an extraordinary vessel (EOV) approach. EOV treatments can be essential in a long-haul post-viral state, as they can help restore integrity to the body’s energetic system on the deepest level. Various combinations can be helpful; however, combining Chong Mai with Ren Mai is a good place to start, as it can help to regulate the gut (Chong Mai) and the lungs (Ren Mai).
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Joseph Audette, MD, MA;
Sam Audette, LAc, Dipl. OM
The NCCAOM is excited to announce the completion of its 2023-2024 Job Analysis (JA) Executive Summary report. The JA is a pivotal initiative aimed at defining the core knowledge, skills, and abilities required for competent practice in the acupuncture and herbal medicine profession. The data collected from this survey is essential for updating the NCCAOM exam content outlines at the entry-to-practice level, ensuring the certification exams are relevant, fair, and legally defensible.
As we move into the Year of the Snake, let’s embrace the snake’s deep-thinking nature and ask ourselves four important questions, all of which relate to a single journey: advocating for our medicine by educating others about its value. Now is the time for all acupuncturists to come together to strengthen the profession, share knowledge, advocate for advancement – and help more patients access you as a vital element of their whole-health care.
