WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Injured Workers Advocacy Program (IWAP), a non-profit organization comprised of 20 labor leaders and activists representing over 100,000 union workers throughout greater Philadelphia, recently announced a strategic partnership with BodyChek Wellness, a Pennsylvania-based company that develops high-quality hemp-derived products for recovery and balance. The partnership will provide a healthcare alternative for the local labor force, and the community at large, who may be suffering from pain or injuries.
The partnership is an expansion of the IWAP Work Injury Coordinators Program, an initiative that provides injured workers with a network of resources and services from the point of injury through the long-term recovery process. In addition to providing better access to care, the program will now offer alternative pain management options with BodyChek’s hemp-based products.
“I am a passionate advocate of hemp-based solutions after experiencing the recovery and pain management benefits first-hand,” said Riley Cote, founder of BodyChek Wellness and former left winger for the Philadelphia Flyers. “Part of our mission is to help people from all walks of life experience the positive changes and recovery benefits hemp products can provide. Partnering with IWAP allows us to carry out that mission in our own backyard.”
The long-term vision of the partnership is to take the labor-based model to other communities throughout the United States, providing others who otherwise may not have access with affordable and alternative injury care and pain management solutions.
“There are tens of thousands of people suffering from the effects of pain everyday,” said Joe Dougherty, Executive Director of IWAP. “These pain-sufferers have very few options except opioids, which is often where the cycle of addiction and the long-term process of health decline begins. Our goal is to provide people in need with the opportunity to access a number of effective, alternative pain treatment and relief options.”
IWAP and BodyChek will kick-off the initiative in fall 2019 by hosting a series of educational sessions and fundraising events with the ultimate goal to use the funds raised to offer BodyChek products to workers in need at no cost or reduced pricing.
About BodyChek Wellness
BodyChek Wellness, founded in 2017 by former NHL player Riley Cote, develops high-quality, sustainable hemp-derived products that support positive change, balance and recovery in individuals from all walks of life. The company lives by the philosophy that there is an athlete in all of us and everyone can benefit from a natural solution for pain relief, improved sleep, and mental health management. By implementing BodyChek products into a larger wellness regimen, BodyChek’s hope is that individuals experience a better road to recovery and achieve balance, something every body deserves.
About the Injured Workers Advocacy Program
The Injured Workers Advocacy Program (IWAP) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that advocates and provides access to free services and resources to workers suffering from work-related injuries, including a comprehensive network of premium medical providers, resources and facilities specializing in the advocacy, care and treatment of injured workers. Participating health care providers offer comprehensive injury exams, diagnostic testing, documentation, an accurate diagnosis and priority/quality treatment to injured workers in need. IWAP provides the injured worker with the optimum chance of maintaining the benefits and treatment they need to recover from their injuries.
