Tuesday, August 21, 2018

LUCOM sponsors annual CrossFit Krypton competition, provides OMT to athletes

Thu, 23 Aug 2018Asa Keimig | LUCOM Marketing

Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) was a major contributor in the 2018 CrossFit Krypton Compete for a Cure competition, this past Saturday, Aug. 18, in Chesapeake, Virginia. The annual athletic event was held at the Chesapeake Convention Center with all proceeds benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

LUCOM held a key sponsorship role in the competition while also providing Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), performed by student-doctors under the supervision of LUCOM faculty, for competing athletes.

“By exposing LUCOM students to events where people give of themselves to benefit a community organization, especially one that benefits children with cancer, it is our hope that we can instill that same kind of heart in our students,” said David F. Klink, DO, senior associate dean of Clinical Affairs. “If we can instill a servant’s heart in our students, where they give of themselves, it is our hope that they will continue to give of themselves beyond medical school making tremendous contributions and an impact in communities across the country through osteopathic medicine.”

LUCOM had over 21 student-doctors on-site to provide OMT to competing athletes. “Participation in an event like this provides positive exposure for Liberty University and the COM in an area where our students currently rotate,” added Dr. Klink.

“Athletes are competing in order to raise money for a really good cause and for us as student-doctors, we are here to support them and help them perform their best,” said Tori Diedring, Class of 2020. “The athletes have been really welcoming for us as far as OMM is concerned. We’ve had people come back, sometimes two times, before they compete, after the compete, just to get looked at and treated. And I really think that they’re glad that we’re here and trying to give back to them and they’re really making use of us, as well.”

LUCOM was also represented by a team of OMS-III student-doctors competing in Krypton’s Compete for a Cure. Angela Tseng and Hillary Baker, Class of 2020, took advantage of the opportunity to participate and represent LUCOM. The duo competed under the team name The Squatting Dead.

This was CrossFit Krypton’s third year hosting Compete for a Cure with all proceeds going directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and with significant growth seen each year. “Our event has grown dramatically over the last three years. First year, we raised $14,000. Second year, we raised $41,000. This year, our third year, we have raised over $70,000,” said Adam Klink, head coach of CrossFit Krypton and event coordinator for Krypton’s Compete for a Cure. “It’s fantastic that the amount of organizations that want to partner with us, especially LUCOM. We have big companies, like Reebok involved too. It means the world to have this kind of backing from these organizations that share the same vision as we do.”

Klink was excited that LUCOM students had the opportunity to be involved in treating athletes as he saw it as very beneficial for both the patient and the student-doctor. “It is a fantastic opportunity for all the athletes to come to a local competition to get worked on and treated with OMM. It’s a good experience for all walks of life, from those with no athletic background to those with.”

View images from the event at Facebook.com/LibertyMedicine.