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Dr. Marc St-Denis, Founder

As a chiropractor and functional medicine specialist I take care of the whole person-in the most nurturing environment possible.”

Ottawa Chiropractor and Functional Medicine Specialist, Dr. Marc St-Denis

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Marc St-Denis, 63, on April 22nd, 2021. Marc is survived by his devoted wife, Valerie St-Denis, children, Genevieve Drummond (John) and André St-Denis, grandson Cameron Drummond and sisters, Josee St-Denis (John Giguere), Renee St-Denis (David Marion ) and Manon Pace (Glen Pace).

Marc lived a full life, and dedicated himself to his profession as a chiropractor for over 36 years. His passion for helping people and being of service to members of his community built the foundation for a fulfilling career. After graduating from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, he subsequently founded his practice Optimal Health Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center. He built the vision for his practice around the following:

“To promote the optimal expression of a family’s health and wellness through the attainment of physical, mental and spiritual well-being.”

In his personal life, he immersed himself in experiencing all of life’s simple pleasures with his family. Nature brought him the greatest sense of peace, and he enjoyed many outdoor activities, as well as spending weekends and holidays at his cottage. His greatest joy was being together with his family, drinking red wine, conversing over a well-prepared meal and sharing stories about each other’s lives. Marc showed a deep sense of compassion for all living things, and a zest for life that was magnetic.

This immense loss will be felt for years to come; within our family, his circle of friends and colleagues, his patients and our community. We will continue to honour his memory in all that have had the pleasure of knowing him.

A memorial page has been created for Dr. Marc for your viewing here.

Passing on the Legacy

Dr. Stephane Chillis, friend and colleague to Dr. Marc has taken over the practice at our new location. Dr. Stephane shares the same chiropractic philosophy, techniques and approach to wellness-based care, as Dr. Marc. We know our clients are in good hands as we pass on Dr. Marc’s legacy.

Dr. Marc’s Story

“Simply put, I was a skeptic,” remembers Ottawa chiropractor, Dr. St-Denis. “While in University I had been suffering because of several nagging sports-related injuries. I had been put on strong anti-inflammatory drugs which really upset my stomach. I was then referred to the school team orthopedic surgeon who was contemplating surgery. It was then that my mother suggested that I see her chiropractor. After a few short weeks, I was back competing at full capacity.”

“This was almost unbelievable,” continues Dr. St-Denis. “It was during my third year in University and I had been contemplating a career in physiotherapy or sports medicine. But my chiropractor took the time to explain the inherent ability of the body to heal itself when there is no nerve interference. That’s when I realized the enormous potential that chiropractic had to relieve human suffering well beyond simple sports injuries. I decided to dedicate my career to chiropractic.”

Education

Dr. St-Denis took an extra year at the University of Ottawa to complete all of his science prerequisites for admission into the chiropractic program. After 5 years he graduated with honours with a Bachelor in Physical Education minoring in Biochemistry. He was accepted at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1981.

“I was surprised at how demanding and rigorous the program was,” says chiropractor in Ottawa, Dr. St-Denis. Courses included biochemistry, neurology and pathology with a major emphasis on anatomy, human physiology, x-ray, diagnosis and chiropractic adjusting techniques just to name a few. A one-year clinical internship on patient care was also included at the school’s clinic. After graduating with honours in 1985, Dr. St-Denis returned home to establish his Ottawa chiropractic practice.

After just a few short years in practice, Dr. St-Denis noticed that, although well over 80% of people fully recover for all kinds of health challenges with chiropractic care, there were that smaller percentage that were somewhat resistant and had limited results. “That’s when my post-graduate studies revealed to me that nerve interference can also be caused by biochemical and psycho-emotional stress.

I completed certification programs in Homeopathy, Homotoxicology and Nutrition to address these challenges.” Chiropractor in Ottawa, Dr. St-Denis is also certified in Functional Medicine which addresses biochemical problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, insulin resistance and toxicity among many other challenges which are cared for using a science-based, non-pharmaceutical approach.

“We often work with the practice member’s physician or specialist to maximize results. We are here to take care of the whole person in the most nurturing environment possible. The rewards of witnessing entire families literally getting their lives back is the most enriching our team can experience.”

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Dr. Marc St-Denis | (613) 260-8828