Dr. Shannon Bloch Volunteer Grant

 
 
 

Dr. Shannon Bloch was passionate about World Spine Care and providing care to those who needed it most. She believed in supporting healthy communities and was a dedicated volunteer who worked hard to provide care in underserved communities, including the World Spine Care clinic in Botswana.

Tragically, Shannon’s life was cut short in 2019. To honor Dr. Bloch, her dedication to serving others, and to World Spine Care’s mission, a volunteer grant has been set up by the Bloch Family to ensure others have the opportunity to experience the joy of volunteering while continuing to provide WSC’s Botswana program with dedicated, competent clinicians.

 
 
“I learned more in my 3 months in Botswana than I ever could have imagined and I know that it not only made me a better clinician but also a better person. I could not recommend this experience more for clinicians all over the world.”
— Dr. Shannon Bloch
 

Volunteering in Botswana

 

The Bloch Family established the Dr. Shannon Bloch Volunteer Grant to offer financial assistance to qualified chiropractors based in North America who wish to volunteer as a Clinical Supervisor at one of the WSC Botswana Clinics and who can demonstrate a financial need, related to student debt. 

World Spine Care is currently accepting applications for the Dr. Shannon Bloch Volunteer Grant. Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Note that the WSC Botswana Clinical Program has varying needs in terms of the number of Clinical Supervisors that are required to run the clinics. Early applications are encouraged, even if the requested volunteer date is in the future.

Grant Eligibility

 
 

To qualify for the Dr. Shannon Bloch Volunteer Grant, the applicant must provide the following:

  1. Documentation confirming their education and skills meet WSC’s minimum requirements for the role of a Clinical Supervisor. Qualified applicants must be a licensed chiropractor;

  2. A requested start date or date range for the volunteering period, for a twelve-month period;

  3. A letter of intent (up to 500 words) that demonstrates the applicant believes in the mission of WSC, and is passionate and committed to meeting the goals of the volunteer position;

  4. Confirmation of citizenship in North America;

  5. A letter of good standing from their provincial or state regulatory body;

  6. Provide at least two letters of recommendation, including one letter that speaks to their clinical competency;

  7. Written documentation confirming that either: the applicant currently has student debt related to their education, or they will have a responsibility to pay off student debt during the proposed period of volunteering at a later date. WSC would require backup to demonstrate this, including a recent annual tax return and a letter of confirmation from the lending body/institution confirming the loan amount is and when it is due. If appropriate, the applicant may be asked to provide additional supporting materials related to their financial situation.

  8. Signed Terms and Conditions: Acknowledgement by the Applicant that they are aware of all the information being submitted as part of the application package and acceptance of all Terms and Conditions contained here.

Would you like to support young doctors with a desire to volunteer?

In honor of Dr. Shannon Bloch, the Bloch family established Giving Back Health Abroad to provide Doctors of Chiropractic an opportunity to volunteer with World Spine Care in Botswana, Africa. This bursary provides ideal candidates an opportunity to give back to communities in Botswana, while obtaining invaluable clinical experience, without having to deal with the stress of loan payments during the period of volunteering.

A donation to Giving Back Health Abroad funds the Dr. Shannon Bloch Volunteer Grant.