US doctor attends to Phl athletes

LONDON – The Philippine delegation welcomed Dr. Todd Reiter as volunteer physician who arrived here the other day from North Carolina to attend to the 11 Filipino athletes. The UERM (University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center) graduate won’t be able to stay until the end of the Olympics because of work in the US where he lives with Filipina wife Maria Cruz and their four children. According to the team’s administrative officer Arsenic Lacson, a replacement – London-based physiotherapist Dr. Petmyla Arceno – will take over when Dr. Reiter leaves.

“I was at the Beijing Olympics providing volunteer service with the ISCA (International Sports Chiropractic Association) so I’ve met the three Filipino athletes who are back in the Olympics,” said Dr. Reiter referring to two-time Olympians Maristella Torres, Mark Javier and Hidilyn Diaz. “I’m very appreciative of the athletes’ reception. I lived in Manila from 2000 to 2004 and since I’m married to a Filipina, I can relate with Filipinos closely. The work we do in the Olympics is very exhausting but gratifying. I’m looking after just 11 athletes, imagine the other doctors who are attending to hundreds.”

The Washington, D. C.-based ISCA is affiliated with the World Olympians Association, a Lausanne body that seeks to take care of past and present Olympians. An objective of the ISCA is to provide a chance for Olympic veterans to study chiropractic through a scholarship grant of over $100,000 a year. The ISCA is a non-profit company created to support and provide Olympians with health care, sports health education and sports medicine supplies and equipment. Dr. Reiter was referred to the Philippine Olympic Committee by Filipino chiropractor Dr. Martin Camara. Both Dr. Reiter and Dr. Camara are on the 11-man ISCA Board of Directors. Dr. Reiter is chairman of ISCA’s membership and ethics committees.

Dr. Reiter, 48, finished at the Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1989. He earned a doctor’s degree in physical medicine and rehabilitation at UERM as salutatorian with cum laude honors. Dr. Reiter earned his diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Neurologists and fellowship of the International Association of Medical Acupuncture. He completed his medical internship at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, North Carolina, and is performing a fellowship in a sports and interventional spine program in Michigan. Dr. Reiter met his wife, an echo-technician, in the US. Dr. Reiter, a native of Minnesota, is here with his 14-year-old son Andrew. While Dr. Reiter is accredited to enter the Athletes Village, he has no privileges to watch events as a spectator.

Lacson said several London-based Filipino doctors have volunteered to assist the delegation. “We’re lucky that our athletes are getting so much support from Filipinos who live in London,” said Lacson. “When Dr. Reiter, Dr. Arceno will take over. They’re all volunteers so we’re very grateful to them for their services.”

Well-known Filipino orthopaedic surgeon Dr. George Canlas, who has worked in previous Olympics and FIBA World Championships, is here as a medical officer with the Olympic Council of Oceania.