By Lauri Lee
Northside Business Association
Headaches and sciatica (leg pain) both played a key role in the birth of Madison Chiropractic North, which in April celebrates its 35th anniversary and honors Dr. Brent McNabb’s retirement from the clinic. Launched in 1980 as Family Chiropractic by Dr. Ross Royster and Dr. McNabb, they wanted to help people enjoy good health and provide relief to those in chronic pain. Throughout the years, both doctors have been committed to helping others and responding to opportunities as they arose. Their impact spans the globe from the local Northside community to Latin America.
Brazil is where the story begins and continues over the years. McNabb and Royster met while serving as Peace Corps volunteers in Brazil after graduating college in 1972. McNabb worked in Brazil on community health projects with a young medical doctor, Dr. Sira Borges, from 1972–75. During this time, McNabb’s mother, Dr. Betty McNabb, a doctor of chiropractic, visited Brazil to treat people in the community. While there, she treated Borges’ mother, who had chronic headaches and sciatica. Borges was impressed that, from this introduction to chiropractic, her mother had found the first relief from pain in months. Life transformational for McNabb, he decided to become a chiropractor.
In 1975, Betty McNabb also introduced Royster to chiropractic. In 1976, both men attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. In spring 1980, wit chiropractic degrees in hand, they headed to Madison to start their business, which opened Feb. 2, 1981.
In 1985, Borges came from Brazil for a visit. She was impressed to witness firsthand what her friends were able to do with chiropractic and invited them to practice with her in Brazil. They responded to this opportunity and their business went international, more than 5,000 miles away, back to Brazil. Throughout 1986 and 1987, McNabb and Royster rotated three-month stints — one in Madison and one in Brazil.
By the end of 1987, Borges decided the time had come for her to be a chiropractor. McNabb and Royster connected Borges with Palmer College, which provided her with a scholarship. The doctors enlisted help from Wisconsin Chiropractic Association chiropractors throughout the state to help support Borges and her four sons while she completed her degree. After graduating in the early 1990s, Borges went back to Brazil to establish a Brazilian Chiropractic Association with two other doctors.
In the mid-1990s, Feele University in southern Brazil contacted Borges to start the first chiropractic school in Latin America. McNabb and Royster again called on Palmer College, which helped start the first class of doctors and physical therapists as students in a two-year course. The professors flew in from Palmer College. In 2000, when the first 28 students graduated, McNabb and Royster flew to Brazil for the festivities. Some of these graduates later became professors for the full five-year course, which is similar to medical training. Today, there are more than 700 doctors of chiropractic in Brazil, with two university-based schools and about 700 students. Two of Borges’ sons are now chiropractors, as is a nephew. Her daughter-in-law is currently in chiropractic school.
Meanwhile, back home, McNabb and Royster love the Northside. “We support the Northside in various ways,” said Royster. “From annual food drives to contributing to Northside nonprofit organizations, we try to help in any way we can.” Both doctors were founding members of the Northside Business Association, and Royster served as the organization’s president in the early 1990s.
Madison Chiropractic has supported the Northside News since the very beginning. They’ve advertised in every edition and Royster has also written the Health Tips column. “It’s been a privilege to write for the Northside News and watch the newspaper grow a sense of community over the years,” said Royster.
McNabb might be retiring from the Madison Chiropractic North clinic but, certainly, not from helping others. “I plan to lecture on a speaking tour to Mexican chiropractors and help young graduates gain business experience, said McNabb. “There is no clinic model for them to follow about how to open a clinic and make it work.”
McNabb’s door sports a sign that summarizes his philosophy and that of Madison Chiropractic in a nutshell, “We make a living by what we get but a life by what we give.” Happy 35th Anniversary to Madison Chiropractic North and a fulfilling retirement for Dr. Brent McNabb.
Madison Chiropractic North is located at 2205 N. Sherman Ave. Dr. Daniel Soderholm joined the clinic in 2005 after 24 years of practicing in Madison, and Dr. Justin Rodriguez started in 2008. The phone is 244-0044 and the website is www.madisonchironorth.com.