PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Elizabeth Spaeth has organized a fundraiser on behalf of Harry Elia, DC, who has no shortage of friends — including patients past and present — pulling for him as he battles back from polycystic kidney disease and related surgeries.
The GoFundMe “Doctor Who Gave All to Patients in Dire Straights” says, “Remember back in the day when doctors didn’t rush through appointments and gave you their undivided attention, or called to check up on you, or took care of you even when you couldn’t afford their services, or saw you after hours because you were in such bad shape that they didn’t want you to suffer another day? We do! That doctor is Harry Elia, DC.”
Betsy and Jaime, longtime friends and patients of Elia in Emerson, said he “has helped us and our family members through countless health concerns. Because of his compassionate care, we and many others have been able to live healthy and happy lives with our loved ones versus lives filled with illness and injury. Now, Harry needs our help and we are reaching out to you to ask for you to consider contributing to this campaign.”
Elia and his family, says the appeal, moved to Emerson from Brooklyn in 1961. “He is a 1971 graduate of Emerson Jr./Sr. High School. He served there as the wrestling and football coach from 1975 to 1980. Harry started the Emerson Junior Wrestling program and coached at Pascack Valley Junior Recreation Wrestling and Baseball program.
“Harry graduated from Chiropractic College in 1983, and has been providing chiropractic services to the Bergen County community ever since.”
Elia has been facing kidney failure for the past few years, and will undergo kidney transplant surgery soon.
Spaeth said “Multiple surgeries and the pandemic shutdown forced Harry to miss a significant amount of work. The loss of income plus the catastrophic health costs for multiple medical procedures have left Harry in dire straights both financially and physically.”
She added, “Harry has given so much to so many as both a chiropractor and sports coach. Now, we are asking the community at large and anyone whose life has been touched by Harry’s generosity to consider contributing to this campaign. All donations of any amount will be greatly appreciated.”
On Feb. 10, she posted, “Harry underwent successful hernia surgery on Thursday, Jan. 9. He’s home recuperating now. The generosity of each and every donor has lifted Harry’s spirits tremendously.”
At press time, $10,326, or shy of $21%, was raised toward a $50,000 goal.
D’Alessandro says Elia an exceptional healer
Rosemarie Birri D’Alessandro, founder of The Joan Angela D’Alessandro Foundation, based in Hillsdale, also is urging aid for Elia.
D’Alessandro, who suffers from myasthenia gravis, a rare and debilitating neuromuscular disorder, is a local force without equal in her decades-long crusade to pass laws that protect victims’ rights and imprison child murderers without parole.
In 2021 the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office dedicated a room in its Child Advocacy Center in Paramus to D’Alessandro, mother of Joan, a 7-year-old Girl Scout murdered by a sexual predator nearly 50 years ago.
D’Alessandro credits Elia for vital healing that got her out of bed after nine months and more forcefully into her vital work.
She told Pascack Press, “Oh my God, I was pretty sick. I was medicined so much in the nineties that I puffed up like a balloon. And then he started — he’s a chiropractor but he also does energy work — he would see the energy all around you. He just has a gift that hardly anybody has. He got me out of bed, and he would even come to my house at the beginning.”
She said, ‘He told me, I just knew that I had to help you.” It was almost spiritual. He wrote this book, and it shows you how to breathe and … he’s very good in his field. But to explain it, it sounds a little funny. But it’s a good thing.”
D’Alessandro, who reaches out to abused and neglected children through her foundation, in 2004 received the Attorney General’s Special Courage Award for her efforts.
She said of Elia, “He has so many people going to him. He never has to advertise. Every time I would go there, there would be people waiting. He came to my house from 2001 to 2015. God knew I had work to do.”