WOMEN CHIROPRACTIC DOCTORS HALL OF HONOR
www.WomenChiropracticDoctors.com
Founding Research Author: James D. Edwards, BSE, BS, DC, FICC (h), FICA (h)
Hall of Honor Charter Inductees - 2022
Anna Mae Foy, D.C.
Licensure
Anna Mae Richardson was born October 10, 1874 in Ladore, Kansas to William Thomas Richardson (1833-1910) and Rebecca Elizabeth Stuart (1853-1926). She graduated from Cedarville (KS) High School and from Central Normal College in Great Bend, Kansas in June of 1891. She married Andrew C. Foy on May 23, 1893 and both received their chiropractic degrees from Ratledge System of Chiropractic Schools in Arkansas City, Kansas. Dr. Anna Foy’s degree was awarded on June 30, 1910 and within 7 months she had moved to Topeka, established a practice and helped found the KCA. Dr. Anna Foy practiced 40 years in the shadow of the Kansas Capitol at 718 Kansas Avenue with her sister Dr. Madge Richardson Gabriel and her brother-in-law Dr. John H. Gabriel.
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Lorraine Golden, D.C., FICC
Pediatrics
In 1954, Dr. Golden began to formulate the idea for Kentuckiana. She saw the need for children with multiple handicaps to receive chiropractic care and began to organize local DCs and laypeople to open a clinic that would provide free care to these children, most of whom came from families that were financially strapped.
The following year, the Kentucky legislature chartered Kentuckiana Children's Center in Louisville. It was set up as a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian charitable organization to provide direct services free of charge to physically and mentally challenged children in need of health and special opportunities.
The center opened its doors to patient care in 1957 and slowly began to grow and expand its scope of treatment. It was through Dr. Golden's efforts that the Health, Education and Welfare Department's Division of Surplus Property gave some 11 acres of land and six buildings to Kentuckiana in 1961 with the purpose of expanding the center's educational, health and research services. The occasion marked the federal government's first grant to an organization that rendered chiropractic services.
Under Dr. Golden's leadership, Kentuckiana became a unique chiropractic institution: providing free chiropractic care for challenged children; combining chiropractic care with a school for children with special needs and providing that care free to the families that could not afford the care; Kentuckiana also developed the first postgraduate two-year intern program in pediatrics.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Golden's work was acknowledged by the bestowal of dozens of awards. She was the first DC in Kentucky to be named "Kentucky Chiropractor of the Year" (1954) and was commissioned a Kentucky colonel in 1958 for her humanitarian contributions. Her awards are too numerous to list, but some of her other honors include:
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Patricia B. Arthur, D.C.
Legal
In the 1960s, Patricia Arthur was a single mother who was searching to further her education. She wanted a career that would provide for her and her son. She attended the Robert Packer Hospital School of Surgical Technology to become an operating room aide, earning her certificate in 1968. The 8-month course gave her knowledge and skills for the operating room and relevant departments in a hospital. During this time, her son developed a chronic respiratory infection. She sought medical help from a pediatrician at the hospital. Despite persistent efforts, her son's condition worsened. At this time, he was also diagnosed with dyslexia and minimal brain dysfunction, which meant he needed extra care and attention.
A medical doctor (MD) suggested that since her son was not responsive to medicine, perhaps she should try chiropractic. She had never been to a chiropractor before, but she was willing to try in the hope that her son would be able to live a healthier and more normal life. She found a local chiropractor and scheduled her son to begin treatments. After 8 visits, he showed remarkable improvement and no longer experienced respiratory problems. This was a relief to Patricia and sparked her thinking about what she could do for her career.
In August 1970, she moved to Davenport, Iowa, and enrolled in the Palmer College of Chiropractic. Three and a half years later, she graduated with her doctor of chiropractic degree. During this time, she continued to care for her disabled son. With her interest in sports medicine and love for the outdoors, she moved to Estes Park, Colorado, to set up her chiropractic practice. Estes Park was a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, and she wanted her son to be in a healthy environment.
In June 1975, she opened her office. During this time, she set up her office by securing office space, developing advertisements, and making community connections. The item she needed most was an X-ray machine. Fresh out of school, she could not afford to buy a new X-ray machine, so she searched the area to see what might be available. The nearest chiropractor with a machine was 60 miles away, which would be too far to ask her patients to travel. What seemed to be the obvious choice was for her to contact the local hospital and set up a relationship so she could order X-rays and laboratory tests for her patients there.
Because of her training and having worked for several years in a hospital environment, she was fluent with the inner workings of a hospital, especially with hospital procedures and patient care. She was comfortable contacting the local hospital staff and approached the administrator at Elizabeth Knutsson Hospital to establish a relationship. She spoke with several people and made friends quickly with the lab and X-ray technicians. They promised her that they would take care of anyone she sent to the hospital.
However, during her first day of practice, the hospital administrator arrived at her office with some disturbing news. The hospital administrators had changed their minds and said that they would not allow her to refer her patients to the hospital for X-rays or lab testing. The administrator said that she needed to submit her concern for review, which she did. The hospital sent her a letter stating that the “Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals will not allow chiropractors to use hospital facilities.” The hospital was new, and the administration was applying for accreditation, which meant it would be under extra scrutiny. The hospital staff was told that their accreditation would be in jeopardy if they allowed a chiropractor to use their facility. Thus, they felt that they had no other choice but to deny her request.
This meant that Dr. Arthur was not able to take care of her patients safely and that she would not be able to run her practice under those conditions. She felt that she had no other option than to leave the area and start a new practice elsewhere. She had spent a great deal of money to start the new practice in Estes Park. As a single mother supporting a disabled son with special education needs, she endured significant financial hardship. She began to search for help. She wrote to the American Chiropractic Association and the Colorado Chiropractic Society to see if they could assist her. Also, during this time, she had read about a chiropractor who was speaking out about injustices being done to chiropractors. His name was Dr. Chester Wilk.
In October 1976, and as a new practitioner, Dr. Arthur took the courageous step by joining fellow plaintiffs Chester Wilk, D.C., James Bryden, D.C., and Michael Pedigo, D.C. in filing a lawsuit against the American Medical Association. The “Wilk vs. AMA” lawsuit also named many of the nation's other most prominent medical groups as codefendants such as the American Hospital Association, the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Physicians, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
The lawsuit claimed that the defendants had participated for years in an illegal conspiracy to destroy chiropractic. After 11 years, on August 24, 1987, U.S. District Court judge Susan Getzendanner ruled that the AMA and its officials were guilty, as charged, of attempting to eliminate the chiropractic profession.
When the chiropractic profession needed her, Dr. Arthur boldly stepped forward to become one of the four chiropractic plaintiffs in the historic Wilk v. AMA lawsuit that resulted in the judge’s ruling against the American Medical Association for its “lengthy, systematic, successful and unlawful boycott.”
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Beatrice Hagen, D.C., FICC
Education
Dr. Hagen is credited with breaking two notable chiropractic gender barriers: serving as the first woman president of an accredited chiropractic college (Logan, 1981-1992) and of the Council on Chiropractic Education (1986-88).
Born in Rome, New York, in 1919, Beatrice B. Hagen graduated from Logan College of Chiropractic in 1940, eventually becoming an instructor and clinical director at her alma mater. From 1959-1980, she and her husband, Dr. Otto Hagen, whom she had met at Logan, lived in Frankfort, N.Y., sharing a successful chiropractic practice and raising four children. During this time, Dr. Hagen was active in local professional activities, and chaired several committees on the New York State Chiropractic Association.
Prior to her presidency at Logan, Dr. Hagen served for eight years on the Logan Board of Trustees (1972-1980), including the last three years as board chair. As college president, she helped broaden and modernize the school's curriculum, and expanded its research program. Under Dr. Hagen's leadership, the Dale C. Montgomery Health Center and the $3.5 million Science, Research and Ergonomic Center came to fruition. She also directed a local outreach program through the college, providing chiropractic care to the homeless at the Salvation Army's Harbor Light Center and at the Shamrock Club in St. Louis.
Dr. Hagen received numerous professional accolades during her distinguished career, including the "Chiropractor of the Year" award from both the American Chiropractic Association (1982) and The American Chiropractor (1987). Upon her retirement from Logan in 1992, she returned to New York to be near her children, and to pursue research and teaching.
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Cynthia S. Vaughn, D.C., FICC
Veterans
Dr. Cynthia Vaughn was a 1984 Summa Cum Laude graduate of the Southern California University of Health Sciences. She was appointed to the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners by Governor George W. Bush in 1997 and was appointed president of the board by Governor Bush in 2000 thus becoming the first female doctor of chiropractic to ever hold the office. She served three years as president of the Board and in that position, also served as the Texas State Delegate to the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards.
Dr. Vaughn also served as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Texas Chiropractic Association, East Texas Delegate to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), Vice President of the ACA Council of Delegates, and Chairman of the ACA Clinical Documentation Committee.
In 2002, U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Anthony Principi appointed Dr. Vaughn to the VA Chiropractic Advisory Committee. And then, in March 2005, VA Secretary R. James Nicholson appointed her to the VA Advisory Committee on Chiropractic Care Implementation. During that lengthy process, objective observers noted that she was the “glue” that held the multi-disciplinary (MD, DO & DC) committees together and which successfully implemented chiropractic care for our nation’s veterans. In that regard, Dr. Vaughn has candidly stated that being able to be a participant in this tremendous victory was the absolute pinnacle of her professional career.
In 2005, Dr. Vaughn received the ACA “Dr. John Flynn & Dr. Robert Lynch Memorial Award” for outstanding service and leadership. In 2007, she received the “Keeler Plaque Award” recognizing the Texas Doctor of the Year and in 2008, Dr. Vaughn received the American Chiropractic Association “Delegate of the Year’ award.
Dr. Vaughn was elected to the Parker University Board of Trustees in 2009, elected Secretary of the Parker University Board of Trustees in 2010 and was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees in 2012.
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Claire Welsh, D.C., FICA
Fervor
Dr. Claire Welsh was born and raised in New York and attended the Academy of Mt. St. Ursula and graduated from the College of White Plains, Pace University with a Bachelor of Science Degree.
Dr. Welsh’s background is well rounded and includes work as a bacteriologist at a medical hospital. She completed her undergraduate research and wrote her thesis, on the effects of Vitamin C on bacterial growth. Then, utilizing a minor in education and numerous childhood development courses, she taught special education at the high school level while living in the mid-west, and then preschool classes in Plano, Texas.
After moving to the Atlanta area, she decided to pursue her goal of becoming a doctor of chiropractic. While attending Life Chiropractic College, she was elected as clinic representative and served as liaison between the faculty and her class Throughout her academic career at Life, Dr. Welsh received numerous merit awards, honors, and consistently appeared on the National Dean’s List. In December 1988, she received a Doctor of Chiropractic, Magna Cum Laude from Life Chiropractic College. Upon graduation she was inducted into the prestigious Pi Tau Delta International Chiropractic Honor Society and was listed in Who’s Who of American Universities.
Dr. Welsh’s many professional affiliations, awards and accomplishments include the following: