| << Back |  |
Meet Your Neighbor: Dr. Angela Cherniawski
By Callie Thomas
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” – Thomas Edison
Innovation continues in the medical field by combining traditional methods and expertise with alternative practices to help patients improve their health. Programs such as naturopathy, herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, biofeedback, homeopathy, nutritional-based therapies and chiropractic medicine continue to gain momentum as a means of treating and combating health problems. Resident Dr. Angela Cherniawski is a doctor of the future. The chiropractor became a Las Vegas resident six years ago and established her own practice called Life Align Wellness Center. “Ever since I was a teen, I wanted to be a medical doctor,” says Cherniawski. “While attending Michigan State University as a pre-med student, however, I realized that drugs only cover up a problem without fixing it. It wasn’t until I became a chiropractic patient that I discovered it as a means of truly helping people improve their health.”
It was the warm weather and excitement of a new city that finally drew the doctor to Las Vegas. “I started my own practice from scratch and incorporated additional health services,” she said. Since then the start-up company has matured into a complete wellness center with the philosophy that to be healthy, the physical, bio-chemical and emotional aspects of health must be properly balanced. In addition to chiropractic, services include a weight loss program, adrenal stress testing, whole food supplementation and a recently added corporate wellness program. “I teach employees how to incorporate healthy habits in their lives to decrease overall health expenditures of local companies,” Cherniawski said.
Angela’s involvement within the community has not only increased her visibility and grown her business, it has put her in direct contact with those in need.
Through her outreach efforts, which include volunteering as one of 1,000 wellness professionals nationwide that devote time to delivering health and wellness education workshops free of charge to various community groups, clubs and organizations, she was introduced to Family Promise through a friend. “Dori told me about Family Promise and their work with homeless families in Vegas,” the doctor said. “She helped me organize a Help Us Help the Homeless event to raise money and collect items needed by the Family Promise families.”
Family Promise is a nonprofit organization that partners with the community through an interfaith collaboration to assist homeless children and parents return to stable lives with employment and affordable housing. It is an affiliate of the national program incorporating 41 states and the District of Columbia. The Las Vegas group serves an average of 54 families in their transitional shelter program and up to 20 families in their permanent housing program for homeless families with disabilities. Of the Family Promise guests last year, 57% were children, with 48% under the age of six. Over 70% of guest families are single mothers with children who stay in the shelter program for an average of 65 days, so there is always a great need for even basic supplies.
Having been blessed with a comfortable home which she shares with husband Shawn and one-year-old daughter Adriana, it felt natural for Angela to reach out to help other families. Through her fundraiser held at her office, Dr. Cherniawski was able to give back. “We got several large donations of laundry detergent. Ironically, the Director of Family Promise said that they had just run out of detergent the day before. Through our event, they will have a supply that will last for some time. Funny, how things like that work out.”
Dr. Angela Cherniawski continues to help others and share the blessings she’s been given. “I have a wonderful family and excellent health. Providing free health workshops and raising money and donating to Family Promise means others can share in some of the blessings I often take for granted.”
