CQU senior lecturer named Chair of World Federation of Chiropractic Disability and Rehabilitation Committee

CQUniversity is making its voice heard in the chiropractic space with Senior Lecturer Katie de Luca recently appointed Chair of The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) Disability and Rehabilitation Committee.

Dr de Luca has been Senior Lecturer in Chiropractic at CQU since 2021 and has her own chiropractic practice in South West Rocks, New South Wales, but she was very excited about the new appointment. 

“I am really excited and very humbled to be appointed as Chair of the Disability and Rehabilitation Committee – the opportunities will be endless,” Dr de Luca said.

“The Committee will have a strong voice to represent chiropractic at an international level, for example we will work directly with the World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA), a World Health Organisation global network of stakeholders, whose mission is to support the implementation of the Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative through advocacy activities.”

Dr de Luca has also been Chair of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation since 2021, and was very much looking forward to taking the skills and ideas she’s acquired at a national level, to advocate for chiropractic and patient-centred care at a global scale. 

“I think the benefits to CQUniversity will include the increased visibility and reputation of having staff involved in high-level leadership roles,” she said.

“Not only is a portion of this role working with the WRA, but the committee will lead initiatives to strengthen and implement rehabilitation in chiropractic curriculum, improve access to chiropractic as a rehabilitation service. 

“Most recently, through my work with the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, we have quantified that back pain continues to have the greatest disease burden globally, and due to disability, back pain directly threatens the prospect of healthy ageing. 

“My program of research dedicated to improving care for older adults with musculoskeletal conditions, so I will look to bring my expertise in that area to the committee to broaden advocate for better health care and improving health outcomes for older adults.”

In a statement, WFC Secretary-General, Richard Brown, said, it was “delighted to welcome Dr de Luca as chair of this important committee.”

“We will shortly be issuing a call for applications for membership of the Disability and Rehabilitation Committee and anticipate a strong response from experts both within and outside the chiropractic profession,” he said. 

“This is a highly relevant area of global health care, and we look forward to engaging in both advocacy and knowledge translation as it relates to rehabilitation internationally.”