Health battles help Burnet’s Escamilla discover her calling
Burnet High School graduate Marissa Escamilla’s health battles helped her discover her career path and how she wants to be a blessing for others the way her mentor, Dr. Jason Hill, has been a blessing for her.
The 2018 graduate recently earned her bachelor’s degree from Tarleton State University in kinesiology thanks to being on a basketball scholarship. But the Lady Dawg battled numerous injuries throughout her four years playing for the TexAnns, none bigger than a back injury that medical professionals told her would require she wear a back brace the rest of her life.
“I had a herniated disk, a bulging disk,” she said. “For one season, I played in a back brace. I was getting epidural cortisone shots. They helped a little bit.”
That’s when she decided to pursue another form of therapy by seeking a chiropractor who was Hill and discovered the benefits of muscle energy release complete with acupuncture and an adjustment. In three sessions, Escamilla was no longer in pain and discovered she no longer needed a back brace.
Because of her health, Escamilla made a life-changing decision. The NCAA gave athletes an extra year of eligibility because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Going into the 2021-22 academic year, Escamilla decided to return to the basketball program and spend a year pursuing a master’s degree but changed her mind when the season ended.
Now she wants to do for others what Hill did for her, she said. She plans to enter the Doctor of Chiropractic program at Parker University in Dallas in 2023. She is currently wanting to become a chiropractic assistant for the next 11 months and is looking for a place to work.
“That’s my why,” she said. “I want to help people live their best lives long term.”
Her emphasis will either be muscle energy release or working with pregnant women who have pressure points “you press to release stress or tension.”
“There’s different tracks in kinesiology,” she said. “There’s the speed and fast track, which is coaching. And there’s the health, which is the medical side: physical therapy, chiropractic.”
It will take her 2-3 years to earn her Doctor Of Chiropractic then she must take an exam to become a professional.
While the back injury may have been the most severe, Escamilla noted she suffered through hamstring and ankle injuries. Those medical issues made her examine what’s best for her body and health in the future.
“My family instilled in me you’re not a quitter, you’re not going to quit, you’re going to face adversity,” she said. “It’s about showing up and how you rise to the situation.”
She credits her parents, Laura Escamilla and Raymond Heine and Mark Escamilla and Melissa Christian, for their support and helping her reach this point in her life.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my family,” she said.
Anyone wanting to speak to Escamilla about employment opportunities can email her at missa.nicoleesc@yahoo.com.
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