Naturopathic Medicine Student - Echaukyei Ndumbi
Chucky and his father
Patrick Ndumbi
Echaukyei "Chucky" Ndumbi, currently in the naturopathic
medicine program, was born and raised in Cameroon on the west
African coast.
Chucky's interest in natural medicine started as a child. "I had
rheumatic fever from age 11 to 16, which left me with a damaged
heart valve" he says. Chucky saw an herbalist twice a week while
also seeing an MD for penicillin shots. "The herbs helped ease the
joint pains that came with the rheumatic fever attacks."
"In Cameroon, people generally turn to natural remedies first
and use pharmaceuticals as a last resort," says Chucky. "People
understand certain herbs that grow locally, because they grew up
with those herbs all their lives. They know which herbs in their
backyard are used for a fever or which are used for a
headache."
The Ndumbi family immigrated to the United States in 1998.
They lived in the greater Washington DC area, where his father
worked at the Smithsonian and attended a school for herbal medicine
at night. "He used to bring me monographs to read on all the
different herbs he was learning about," remembers Chucky. "His
interest in herbal medicine rubbed off on me.
Although both he and his father avidly studied herbs together,
Chucky had never heard of the term "naturopathic medicine." He
discovered naturopathic medicine while searching the Internet for
"natural doctors school." "I was majoring in biology at
Marymount University at the time, and when I 'googled' and found
out about naturopathic medicine, I knew that was the direction for
me." He chose National University for his ND
degree.
"When I first came to National University in 2009, my father had
just graduated from herbal medicine school and was working on a
masters degree in nutrition. Our dream was to open a holistic
medical center together in Cameroon when I graduated." But that
dream was one they wouldn't be able to share together, as Patrick
Ndumbi passed away in August of 2012.
Foundations for Wellness Center in Cameroon
Nevertheless, Chucky perseveres. "My new plan when I graduate is
to open a healing center in the Washington DC area. When that
is fully operational, I plan to open a second center in Cameroon."
In fact, that center is already under construction.
Chucky advises those considering an ND degree to evaluate their
reasons for wanting to become a naturopathic physician. "Some
people think this is an easier way to become a doctor than earning
an MD. That is an illusion. It's not easy. You need an
innate call to this medicine from deep within. Otherwise, how are
you going to keep going when things get tough? Yet, if you have
that call, that vision of helping people and making a change in
health care, you will have the motivation you need to keep
going."
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