| In January of 2008, after three months of phoning, planning, and (finally) victory, Somebody Cares was privileged to receive a Volunteer Doctor to work alongside their communities through our partner, Raising Malawi. Dr. Murray Treiser, a retired plastic surgeon, began working in our communities on January 21st and ended his work in the community February 27th 2008. He was a jewel in the desert of lack of medical support. He arrived when our roads were inaccessible, but he took the challenge in stride and went marching into the communities! In his first week of work, Dr. Murray had already used up the medication that he had shipped in from the United States, as well as the medical supplies Somebody Cares had in their stock. It would seem that this would be the course that his work would take as Dr. Murray (who is quick and efficient) was soon to see approximately 400-900 patients a day. Village Chiefs and other community leaders were so grateful to Raising Malawi and Somebody Cares for taking this initiative to bring in a Doctor whom 1 in a 100 would be able to see in a month. A great percentage of clients had prevalent diseases and opportunistic infections. Most common were Fever, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Bilharzia, Skin rash, general body pain, Epilepsy, Diarrhea, and various Stomach problems. During his stay, Murray and his mobile clinic came to the rescue of 8,540 of these patients in the communities of Njewa, Chikudzulire, Tambala, Kalimbira, Matanda, Chatimba, Ngwanagwa, Mgona, Deya, Mbvunguti, Mzondo, Chilombo, and Mtandire respectively. (Imagine him standing in the back of a truck on a gravel bumpy road for a 30km drive. Now that’s determination!) When asked if the experience was worthwhile Murray commented that “I have realized that whatever good I have done for these people, they have done more good for me. On an existential level, I have begun to think about things that I never would have approached in the past; most importantly is the question "What is the measure of a life worth living"? I no longer believe that uncontrolled personal consumption is the correct answer. I have never felt as useful and productive as when I was in Malawi helping the Malawians.” Dr. Murray will be sorely missed by the medical and office staff of Somebody Cares, but most of all he will be missed by the children who will never get a chance to be diagnosed and seek further medical assistance until another Dr. Murray comes along!!!! Shaun Ngosi, Somebody Cares |
Together with Dr. Murray, Raising Malawi is co-creating a new community-based medical program for children in Malawi. But we can't do it without your help. Click here to make a donation.