$1 million gift to OHIO's Heritage College honors osteopathic manipulative medicine pioneer Robert Fulford
Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine will receive a $700,000 gift from investor Richard Fulford in honor of his late father, Robert C. Fulford, D.O., who was a pioneer in osteopathic manipulative medicine and alternative medical remedies.
Along with the major gift, Richard Fulford has also created the Robert C. Fulford, D.O., Endowment Fund to support osteopathic manipulative medicine programs in the Heritage College. The endowment will be created through a residual bequest in Richard Fulford’s will at a future date and is currently estimated to be a gift of $300,000. To honor his father’s legacy, the osteopathic manipulative medicine lab in Heritage Hall will be named the Robert C. Fulford D.O., Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Lab and will include a portrait of Robert Fulford that was gifted to the school.
Richard Fulford’s total gift is the largest individual gift in the history of the Heritage College.
“I wanted to honor my dad and support his life’s work through planting the seeds I’ve been fortunate to have and letting them grow through osteopathic medical students,” Richard Fulford said. “My dad was born, raised, and died in Ohio so I wanted to give back to the community he was from and upkeep his legacy.”
“I have gained so much, personally and professionally, from Robert Fulford’s teachings and leadership, and I’m thrilled to honor his important contributions to the field through the naming of our OMM lab,” said Ken Johnson, executive dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and OHIO’s chief medical affairs officer. “Richard Fulford’s incredible generosity will allow us to further integrate osteopathic manipulative medicine throughout our educational continuum, ensuring that every student who trains in the Robert C. Fulford, D.O., Osteopathic Manipulative Lab graduates with the knowledge and skills to expertly address neuromusculoskeletal disorders and care for the whole patient.”
Robert Fulford, born in 1905 and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, was a graduate of the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, focusing most of his career and practices on manipulative medicine and alternative medical remedies such as cranial manipulation or cranial osteopathy. He authored three books and developed several methods to treat chronic illnesses, opening practices in Indiana, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Tucson, Ariz., before retiring and living the rest of his life in Waverly, Ohio. He died in 1997.
While in Waverly, Robert Fulford developed relationships with faculty and students from OHIO’s Heritage College, often sharing his knowledge of medical practice with members of the Heritage College who would come by to learn from the esteemed doctor.
During his time practicing in Tucson, prominent alternative medicine Dr. Andrew Weil heard affirmations from Robert Fulford’s patients regarding his approach to manipulative medicine and went to see for himself the work Fulford was doing. He was intrigued and learned Robert Fulford’s techniques, specifically the role of breathing and how it can impact the quality of a person’s health. Weil’s book, “Spontaneous Healing,” devoted an entire chapter to Robert Fulford’s techniques.
According to Richard Fulford, his father also wrote a book that saw great success, especially in Japan, as the health and healing approach of Robert Fulford was so similar to the approach the Japanese use when it comes to health and wellness. This book was also translated into German and Italian.
This generous gift will continue to support the manipulative medicine approach Robert Fulford presented to his patients for years to come in OHIO’s Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Department. The program integrates the principles and practice of osteopathic medicine throughout the continuum of medical education from medical undergraduate classes and clinical rotations and through continuing medical education for certified physicians.
“My dad was so dedicated to his profession and always did the best he could for his patients,” Richard Fulford said. “He got into the right area with his unique skill and was exceptional at his job.”