Chantal Roy
Speaker Reporter
TEMISKAMING SHORES – With the proper foundation, one’s health can be heightened and maintained to ensure an overall well-being and thanks to a new business in Temiskaming Shores, people will be able to get to the root of their problems.
Fabulous Footcare... on the run has officially opened its doors with a grand-opening celebration held at the office located within Gravity Health & Chiropractic in the Zafiris Plaza on the strip on Highway 11B in the former Dymond Township.
Owner Ashley Mercier, RPN, was raised in New Liskeard, attending local schools, including college, when at the age of 18 she enrolled in the nursing program at Northern College in Haileybury.
“What I thought at first was that I wanted to go work in the operating room eventually,” Miss Mercier told The Speaker.
After obtaining her Registered Practical Nurse Diploma, she was faced with the challenge of procuring employment. She moved out west.
“Out west it’s team nursing. Team nursing is when you all work together and do the nursing care. Here it’s called acute nursing so everyone has 5 or 7 to 8 patients and they do their own patient load,” she said about the difference in nursing from one coast to another.
The opportunity arose to specialize in footcare and Miss Mercier made her way to Toronto for an Advanced Footcare course.
She returned to the area and began working locally as a footcare nurse, which she has done for the last two years.
“I’m glad I do footcare because I get to go out and meet new people now that I have my own business. I also work in the Englehart Hospital just to keep up my nursing skills,” she said.
SERVICES
Some of the services offered at Fabulous Footcare... on the run include Medical Footcare, Foot Spa Treatments, Orthotic Assessments and Referrals, Diabetic Foot Treatments, as well as Dr. Detox.
“A Medical Footcare includes any callus and corn removals, nail reductions and then a massage at the end,” said Miss Mercier.
A Foot Spa Treatment includes a foot soak followed by the Medical Footcare Treatment.
Orthotic assessments are done in conjunction with Dr. Tim Zafiris from Gravity Health & Chiropractic.
Miss Mercier says that a large majority of her patients are diabetics and she has a contract with the diabetic clinic which allows those patients a reduced fee for footcare.
“I’d say 90 per cent of my clientèle is diabetics, and it’s because of the circulation in their bodies. They have very poor circulation going into their feet,” she said.
Dr. Detox, a method of restoring the proper ph levels in a person, is also available at the clinic.
“Everybody has an alkaline or acidic ph level. The majority of Canadians, because of our diets, we’re more acidic,” began Miss Mercier.
“So what this (machine) does is it gets us to a more alkaline level. It has negative ph’s in the water and it will detox your feet.”
SPEECHES
Gravity Health & Chiropractic owner, Dr. Tim Zafiris, expressed his excitement to The Speaker at the newest addition to the clinic.
“It’s great. Footcare is obviously a very important thing,” began Dr. Zafiris.
“I’ve seen a lot of patients that could use footcare and it’s nice to have somebody down the hall to be able to refer them to.”
Temiskaming Shores and Area Chamber of Commerce member Jeff Laferrière congratulated Miss Mercier on behalf of the Chamber and read congratulatory messages from Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP David Ramsay and Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota.
City of Temiskaming Shores Councillor Mike McArthur was also in attendance to welcome the new business to the community and offer congratulatory messages on behalf of the City.
“It’s great to see young people coming back and opening up their businesses, people need footcare and we have it here in Temiskaming Shores,” said Mr. McArthur.
“You have a good personality, you know what you’re doing, you have great offices and great people and when the word gets out, I’m sure you will do very well,” he told Miss Mercier.
Gravity Health & Chiropractic opened its doors in November of 2008 in the Zafiris Plaza. Since that time, the Timiskaming Health Unit has also taken up residence in the Plaza.
Dr. Zafiris says he has also welcomed this year the addition of Myomassologist Angèle Miller to his clinic.
Fabulous Footcare... on the run is the next logical step to overall health care. For more information, visit www.fabfootcare.webs.com or contact Miss Mercier at the office located at 883317 Hwy. 65E or by telephone at 705-648-3337.