Daily Inspiration: Meet Garrett Pagel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Garrett Pagel.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born 2 months early at 3 lbs 12 ounces and had to spend 17 days in the NICU because my lungs had not fully developed. When I was 7 years old, I had roughly 80% of my face torn from the muscle and bone in a severe dog attack that took over 5k stitches and 5 other surgeries over 6 years to fully reconstruct my face. In January of 2024, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and spent 2 months in and out of the hospital. During that time, the doctors would allow CT scans, MRIs, and nights in the hospital, but when we would ask about a colonoscopy, they would not green light me for one. By the time I was finally able to get in for a colonoscopy, I was on so many prescriptions, I had a resting heart rate of 124 bpm, and my parents’ health insurance had been milked dry. I was able to get into clinical remission not because of prescriptions, but because of holistic natural health options. My goal for this project is to return medicine to a culture caring for people, not profiting off of their sickness, as well as following gold standard science and recognizing natural options work. It’s time to heal, not Profit!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While starting this non-profit organization, I have realized that sometimes working with other people in organizations can be unreliable, have other goals and aspirations. This has taught us the importance of adaptability and resiliency, and the ability to hold people accountable. One of the struggles with non-profit organizations is funding. Unlike many other businesses, 501c3s rely on the generosity of others to complete their vision. This requires clear communication and a vision of what we want to accomplish at TVCP. My Cofounders and I have worked tirelessly to make sure TVCP has the proper structure and support to use the generous donations we receive to increase the reliability of medical education and the effectiveness of the medical field.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
TVCP excels at identifying campuses with large blocks of students who are entering the healthcare profession. We facilitate college outreach through our clubs to promote the study of nutrition, holistic medicine. and an increased focus on patient wellbeing and overall preventative health. TVCP influences young aspiring healthcare professionals (and any college student who wants to take control of their health) by facilitating events with speakers, brands, and celebrities, creating a community among medical institutions centered around moral healthcare, and connecting the future of our healthcare workers to resources to make them the best healers they can be. Today, too much of our medical system is based on how profitable an illness can be. We no longer see preventing disease, but rather that disease is inevitable, and in the moment, treatment is the only option. TVCP, though a young organization, has already managed to build and capitalize on momentum in several states. TVCP is gearing up for our first large-scale fundraiser after the success of our first major event hosted at ALA Applied Tech in Mesa, AZ, where we featured Rob Schneider and Celebrity Chef Andrew Gruel to give parents and students the resources to take back their health in a fun and easy way! Learn more about our fundraiser on our website TheVCP.org

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
When I was starting TVCP in October of 2024 with Ashton Portmann, we originally wanted to just interact with Chiropractic students due to the importance of my Chiropractor in helping me get back to normal and out of my UC flare-up. The idea didn’t expand into all health-related students until after I took a trip to DC to pitch the organization idea.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Thevcp.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tvcproject_/
• Twitter: https://x.com/TVCProject_