Dr. Wambugu and Barbara Murphy.

Dr. Murphy.

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AVALON — Dr. James “Jim” and Barbara Murphy of Stone Harbor Manor have recently embarked on a volunteer mission that, for a year, will have them attending to medical needs in Kenya.

Under auspices of the Catholic Medical Missions Board, the Murphys will focus on the needs of the Kikuyu people in that African nation.

James is a retired maxilla facial surgeon who worked in private practice and as a Temple University Dental School faculty member. A great part of his professional career was also spent in institutions taking care of the poor and indigent in a variety of locations in the U.S. and on short mission trips to Haiti, Jamaica and India.

The place to which the Murphys plan to head in East Africa has been decimated by drought, famine and political instability.
Tumors and infections of the head and neck, an area in which Murphy specializes, are common in Africa, due, in part, to the high incidence of AIDS.

The Kikuyu Hospital in Kenya has offered the local couple, members of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, an opportunity to provide top notch, up-to-date medical care and education.

Barbara, a retired educator, plans to teach orphans at the school there. Full cost of one medical volunteer is between $15,000 and $20,000. As part of their volunteer commitment, the Murphys must raise $5,000 each to help support the direct costs of their Kenyan stay.

Other expenses that will by Catholic Medical Mission Board include:
• $5,000 to cover airfare and in-country travel.
• $1,200 to cover the cost of housing for a volunteer.
• $500 for medicine and medical supplies.
• $350 for a one-month living expense.
• $250 for medivac and hazard insurance for each volunteer.

A flier provided to the congregation of St. Brendan the Navigator stated that Catholic Medical Mission Board states that 96.3 percent of all donations directly aid the volunteers in its worldwide programs.
Parishioners were asked to make donations to support the Murphy’s venture.

Those who wish to donate to the mission cause are directed to their fundraising page: support.cmmb.org/goto/Jim.Barb.