Laurie Jean Mathiason

Laurie Jean Mathiason was born on April 23, 1977. Laurie Jean died needlessly, on February 7, 1998. The cause of her death, at age 20, was a stroke caused by the dangerous practice of a chiropractic upper neck manipulation. This useless twisting of the upper neck is performed on everyone from newborn babies to senior citizens as a panacea for all disease. In Laurie's case she suffered from pain in the lowest part of her back, and yet the chiropractor "treated" her by twisting the upper part of her neck, an area where she never had any pain. Chiropractors have been successful in convincing politicians in North America that they are "doctors". Laurie and others have been misled because of this classification of chiropractors as doctors. It is the hope of Laurie's family and the families of the many other victims that these useless and dangerous "procedures" will be banned so that others do not have to suffer death or permanent severe disability.

From Donna

I would like to see something done and the public informed about a situation that has just happened to my family.

On January 24th, my daughter, age 34, went to a chiropractor to have an adjustment. She has some sinus problems which causes headaches, the chiropractor assured her she could make her feel better. The adjustment included popping her back, and an adjustment of the neck. When she popped her neck, she immediately felt something was wrong; I will not go into the mistakes that were made by the chiropractor; however, as my daughter was crumbling to the floor she asked that an ambulance be called. She was transported to a hospital emergency room where after many tests it was discovered that her artery that runs through the spinal cord to the brain was dissected. The meaning of this is that every artery has several layers, and that some of the layers were torn loose and a bulge formed in the artery cutting blood to her brain. Additionally blood clots formed behind the bulge and unfortunately in her case a clot came loose and entered her brain causing a stroke.

Her stroke was minor compared to what could have happened. Hopefully she will have a full recovery, however at this point she cannot swallow, her eyesig has been effected; double vision, and very weak on the left side. They had to surgically implant a feeding tube in her stomach, and she must wear an eye patch. I know that we will get through this, although it has drastically affected our entire family. My daughters husband has hardly left her side, and her sons, ages 7 and 4 are afraid to get close to their mother because of fear of all the tubes and “stuff” coming out of her body.

This is an explanation as to why I am writing this letter, not to get sympathy from anyone, as we have so much support from family and friends I could not ask for more. I need to know how to get the word out about chiropractors and neck adjustments. I cannot believe how many doctors, occupational therapists, nurses, and health professionals who know of this happening. Why do we as average citizens not know about this? Why is the word not spread around that neck adjustments are very, very dangerous. I have been told by several health professionals that you can let chiropractors adjust everything but the neck.

I have made it my mission in life to somehow get the word out, I have told everyone I have come into contact with about the situation, and I cannot believe how shocked everyone is that they never knew that this was a possibility. I also cannot believe how many people regularly have their neck adjusted, all I have spoken to have said they will never do it again. My discussion with a small number of people is not enough. Everyone needs to know this is a possibility. I know you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. But if the average person was informed of the possibilities maybe a few people can be saved from what we are going through.

If you can help me, or direct me to someone who might be able to help, I will sincerely be appreciative. Thank you for listening. Donna 


WATERLOO -- Les Limage was always on the go, and he loved it.  When he wasn't overseeing his car dealership, he was helping his wife renovate their new Waterloo bungalow.  When he wasn't planting flowers in his backyard garden, he was spending time with his six children and 13 grandchildren.

But now all that has changed. Limage, who turns 67 today, suffered a stroke Dec. 5 and has been in hospital since. Unable to walk and barely able to see or talk, Limage believes the stroke is the result of a visit to a Waterloo chiropractor in late November. At that point, chiropractor George Hickson manipulated Limage's neck to relieve a pain caused by a hip replacement Limage had years ago. Other than the pain, Limage said he was in good health at the time.

"My life has changed completely," said Limage yesterday afternoon from his wheelchair in his Freeport Health Centre room. His wife Flo standing beside him, her hand on the sleeve of his polo shirt, Limage's raspy, whispered voice was almost inaudible.  "All I want is to feel normal again and go home with my wife," said Limage. "That's all I want."

Returning to his home, his wife and his old life is nothing more than a dream right now. He's already been forced to give up his Waterloo car dealership because his future health is so uncertain. As he waits for this future to unfold, Limage is concentrating his efforts elsewhere. In late March, he and his wife filed a medical negligence lawsuit against Hickson. Hickson would not return reporters' phone calls yesterday or Thursday.

As a result of the lawsuit, the Limages are featured in a W5 television special,  The case is being handled by Brampton lawyer Amani Oakley, who is also dealing with two similar cases.

Her clients include the family of Lana Lewis -- the deceased 45-year-old woman at the centre of a Toronto inquest that began this week. Lewis died in 1996, 17 days after Toronto chiropractor Philip Emanuale manipulated her neck as a treatment for migraine headaches. The inquest is exploring whether there is a relationship between the neck manipulation and the stroke that killed her. Critics, including a number of Canadian neurologists, say neck manipulation can lead to strokes by damaging the walls of an artery which supplies blood to the brain.

The Canadian Chiropractic Association and other members of the chiropractic community maintain the risk of stroke or stroke-like symptoms is minuscule -- one or two cases in every million treatments. Lawyers for chiropractors plan to argue at the inquest that Lewis, a heavy drinker and smoker, died of natural causes.

As lawyers argue back and forth in Toronto, Limage struggles with day-to-day living in his small Kitchener hospital room, his wife at his side every day.  Although he's been off his respirator for two weeks, and out of Grand River Hospital's intensive care unit for a month, Limage is very weak. He spends a good part of his day in bed and is fed intravenously.  He tries to watch the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey games on television, but his eye sight is now so fuzzy, he can't see the puck.  Limage's wife, who worked at the dealership, hates to see him suffer like this.

"I just know how hard this is for him," said Flo yesterday, tears welling in her eyes as she stood beside Limage, who she describes as a fighter.  "I know how much he hates to sit around."  The stroke has taken a toll on Flo as well.  "It's taken our life away," she said. "Every night is a lonely night. I leave the hospital and go home and he's not there with me.

"I've lost my companion. I'm waiting and hoping for the day he can come back home with me."