Donor Spotlight Cary Murphy, M.D

Donor Spotlight: Cary Murphy, M.D.

01/02/2019

Cary Murphy, M.D. (pictured far left), recently pledged $25,000 to the new Ronald McDonald House at Mercy. He came to Mercy in 2004 directly after finishing his Neonatology fellowship. In 2006, he became Director of Neonatal Transport and began serving as Medical Director of the NICU in 2009. Additionally, he serves on the board of the Ronald McDonald House of Central Iowa.

We asked him four questions about his philanthropic impact on Mercy:

Mercy Foundation: What inspired you to give to the Ronald McDonald House?
Dr. Murphy: I became aware of and involved with the Ronald McDonald House when I was in fellowship at the University of Iowa.  I can’t imagine a more stressful situation then having your child in the hospital and then being away from your home — a family and support structure just adds a different dimension to this stressful time.  By providing lodging, meals and companionship with others dealing with similar situations, the Ronald McDonald House provides a respite for these families during this very difficult time.  I’ve been able to see firsthand while working in the NICU what these services really mean to these families.

Mercy Foundation: How does philanthropy make a difference in your profession as a physician?
Dr. Murphy: The medical field is a fast-changing area where to be able to maintain the best care for your patients, one has to continually update care to stay on the cutting edge of medical technology.  I have seen extreme advances in the field of neonatology, however, everything comes at a cost.  At my time at Mercy, I’ve seen just how much philanthropy has been beneficial to our patients — from the complete renovation of our pediatric units, to the heart catheterization suite, to new incubators for our tiniest of babies — just to name a few.

Mercy Foundation: Why might others consider making a gift meaningful to them?
Dr. Murphy: I was always raised to help others in need, and I feel that a true measure of a society is to see how we care for their most vulnerable.  There are a lot of great charitable organizations out there. I would recommend finding one that is significant to you, research it to make sure funds are being thoughtfully invested and get involved.

Mercy Foundation: Why is the Ronald McDonald House project so special to you?
Dr. Murphy: This opportunity for a Ronald McDonald House within Mercy will be a huge benefit to the children and families that come to Mercy.  It came about through a great partnership between the hardworking, dedicated Mercy Family, The Ronald McDonald House of Central Iowa and all that give to these great organizations.

Interested in learning about how you can contribute to the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy? Contact Senior Director of Development Sophia S. Ahmad at sahmad@mercydesmoines.org.