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NEWS RELEASE

July 10, 2003

For More Information Contact: Rebecca Wilkowski, Phone: (800) 729-0941

Pacific College Donates Supplies to Indian Acupuncture Clinic

In an effort to advance the field of Oriental medicine and make holistic health accessible throughout the world, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine is donating much-needed materials to the Acupuncture Institute and Free Community Clinic of Ananda Nagar (AIAN) in the rural region of West Bengal, India.

Because of the rampant malnutrition and chronic diseases that pervade Ananda Nagar, AIAN was established in 1990 as both a free clinic and facility to train practitioners in acupuncture. Volunteers and students in the clinic treat between 40 and 60 patients each day for conditions ranging from headaches, to backaches, to insomnia, to chronic digestive disorders, to infertility, to leprosy, to polio, to energy deficiencies, among others.

While the clinic at AIAN seems to overflow with patients in need of care, it sorely lacks both funds and basic supplies, such as textbooks and acupuncture needles.

"This Eastern corner of West Bengal is one of the poorest rural areas in India," said Clinic Director and licensed acupuncturist Charles Martley. "Our needs range from new facilities to tables, chairs and a chalkboard for each classroom."

According to acupuncturist Allison Quiring, who volunteered at AIAN for five weeks in 2002, "The importance of and need for complementary medicine, even in places where allopathic medicine is quite basic, was striking to me." Quiring went on to say that "seeing how much people benefit from the clinic and how much more work could be done has inspired me in my own practice and career path."

Because AIAN is funded solely on private donations, the San Diego branch of Pacific College is lending its support by sending learning materials to AIAN. The college’s first shipment included two acupuncture models, an atlas of acupuncture points and 12 posters. Pacific College also donated a total of 38 textbooks, some of which were new editions from its bookstore, while others were gently used versions from the college’s extensive traditional Chinese medicine library.

"Pacific College has always assisted in the development of colleges and clinics both around the world and in the United States," Pacific College President Jack Miller said. "We hope this small contribution to AIAN will make it easier for them to provide the benefits of Chinese medicine to those in need."

Martley said that Pacific College’s first donation of "A very impressive selection of books - a few I always wanted" has already been an enormous help. "This collection doubles the size of our present library," he said.

For more information or to make a donation, please call Pacific College at (800) 729-0941.

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