After moving back to Michigan and opening a chiropractic office, two Grand Valley State University alumni were determined to impact the community with wellness and quality care. After one year of service, Lisa Peerbolt and her partner Joshua Konynenbelt were awarded “New Business of the Year” by the Grandville-Jenison Chamber of Commerce.

Peerbolt and Konynenbelt graduated from GVSU in 2008 with bachelor’s degrees in the biomedical sciences.

In November 2015, the Novo Chiropractic Sports and Wellness Center opened its doors in Grandville, Michigan, at 5570 Wilson Ave. SW, Suite L. The doctors decided on the name “novo” due to the Latin origin “de novo,” which signifies “starting from the beginning; and anew.”

“It’s definitely exciting and rewarding, but more importantly I think we will be able to inspire other people and health care providers,” Konynenbelt said. “It all comes down to getting involved and sticking to what works, learning from your mistakes and skipping out on what does not work. We have been very fortunate there and had great mentors along the way.”

Both Konynenbelt and Peerbolt are Holland Christian High School graduates, and moved back to West Michigan after receiving chiropractic doctorate degrees in Portland, Oregon. Peerbolt focuses more pediatric and pregnancy care, while Konynenbelt specializes in sports medicine.

Both feel strongly about natural care, wellness and modern chiropractic techniques.

“(In Oregon) I worked with all different types of people. It’s different out West than in Michigan. It was great for us to see how conservative health care could be,” he said. “After chiropractic school, I moved out to Seattle for a little bit, and then ultimately, we realized it was time to move back home and do our best to change the landscape around here.”

In addition to their focus on chiropractic care, the two collaborated with the Metro Health Community Outreach Team, Friends and Family of Cystic Fibrosis and Spartan-Nash. Wrapping up 2016, Konynenbelt and Peerbolt raised $4,000 in donation to the Kids’ Food Basket in Grand Rapids.

The two became familiar with the charity back at GVSU, as Konynenbelt said their practice is dedicated to serving the community both with chiropractic care and volunteer work.

“We remembered working with them back when we were in our undergrad at GVSU, and there’s really not much of a better charity,” he said. “I just want to give as much as I possibly can to a charity like that. They are good people and I love working with them.”

Honing in on local services, Konynenbelt said chiropractic care can remediate or signal to serious medical problems. Today, 87 percent of Americans suffer from back pain as this can identify other health problems such as kidney infections or certain types of cancer.

As a result, the practice provides the “Stress Free Lunch Break” program for businesses to promote employee wellness. Konynenbelt said they provide a complimentary wellness spinal screening, discuss chiropractic benefits and provide a free lunch.

The funds from the X-rays and screenings directly benefit the Kids’ Food Basket.

“It’s a huge way to grow our practice and it also shows the numbers in patients we have gotten — it’s been hundreds,” he said. “We want to find out what’s wrong with them, use that money to help out a charity and we collect money around the lines of helping people.

“In just a year we have been helping families, all working toward the greater goal much bigger than back pain and that’s childhood hunger.”

New patients can fill out a form online at www.novochiropractic.com, as the office is open Monday through Friday. For further questions about the services provided or payment options, call (616) 259-9835.

“2016 was our year but it’s more exciting to me that 2017 will be just as awesome of a year,” Konynenbelt said.