Intercare’s Dr. Martin Camara

“I learned by observing my dad,” says Intercare director Dr. Martin Camara, 49, chiropractor to the Philippine Olympic team and youngest child of cardiologist Augusto A. Camara, 96. “My dad was extremely professional, providing hands-on care for his patients.”

Today, Martin does not just adjust his clients’ bodies, but also discusses holistic health with them.

The father  graduated summa cum laude from the University of the Philippines (UP) and topped the boards; the son was cum laude and awardee from the Palmer College of Chiropractic West in California.  Dad exercised before work, so does the son.

Father and son

The Camara clan is a landed gentry.  When Augusto was a child, people asked him, “Why apply yourself when you have land?”

He idolized his elder sister, Dr. Solita Camara-Besa, the first Filipina biochemist.

“Whatever she did, he did.  He tried to do better.  She went to UP, so did he.  She was cum laude, he was summa.”

With the land reform in the 1970s, the family lost some land, so Augusto’s emphasis on education was vindicated.  Hard work and scholarship were instilled in the Camara children early on.

Six of the 12 children followed the father, and were or are now in medicine or healthcare.

“I want to heal people,” says Martin.  “But as a child, my room was beside the house phone.  Two or three week nights, emergency calls came and I had to wake my dad.  I said no to critical care, and looked for a field that I am passionate about. I am active, I love sports.”

Why chiropractic, instead of orthopedic or rehabilitation medicine?

Martin took pre-med, but he also wanted to be a pioneer.  “If I had gone into traditional medicine, it would have taken a lot more years” with medicine proper, specializations, boards, etc.

“Besides, the senior specialists already had networks.  I wanted to establish myself quickly, and to bring in the international expertise needed here.”

His father was not enthusiastic about chiropractic at first, and at a talk at a De La Salle high school, he publicly announced he wanted Martin to go into medicine.

But when he saw how much Martin wanted to do chiropractic, he gave his blessing, and upon his departure in 1988, this advice: “Don’t worry about the money.  Do your best, do what you love, and the money will come.”

Intercare

Martin took this to heart, and upon his return in the 1990s, he established Intercare, which indeed became a pioneer in Complementary Alternative Medicine, integrating chiropractic, acupuncture, myotherapy (muscle therapy), Pilates, with traditional medical specialties.

Treatments are non-surgical and non-invasive.  His father was patient number 1.

Martin also has a head for business. Aside from athletes, Intercare has a lot of private and corporate clients, not just in the clinics in Makati, Greenhills, and Alabang, but also in the satellite units.

“Healthcare now goes to the people,” says Martin.  “We tie up with a company for x hours, which is cheaper than per visit.  We go to them for x hours a week and treat their employees.  Our equipment is portable.  Good companies invest in the health of their workers.”

In the works is a multistory building in Magallanes, Makati City, along South Super Highway, which will house not just the services of Intercare, but also other health providers, including traditional medical clinics, alternative medicine training centers and hopefully a school.

Contact Intercare at 890-3378 (Makati), 724-6631 (Greenhills), or 807-6863 (Alabang).  Visit Intercare at www.intercare-centers.com.

Queena N. Lee-Chua is on the Board of Directors of Ateneo de Manila University’s Family Business Development Center.  Get her book “Successful Family Businesses” at the University Press (e-mail [email protected]).  E-mail the author at [email protected].