Driven to GIVE

Article originally published Fall 2020 The Monitor magazine.

Loving wife Joyce Murphy lost her husband, Earl “Butch” Murphy, Jr., to cancer in March. Butch fought a five-year battle with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that affects plasma cells found in bone marrow, and received his care at Fairfield Medical Center’s Cancer Care and Infusion Center.

Joyce and Butch’s family decided to carry on his legacy by donating $10,000 to the Fairfield Medical Center Foundation Cancer Care Fund, which provides needed cancer care, treatment and prevention services to the community. Butch’s cancer care team, including oncologist Roopa Srikantiah-Saha, MD, gathered with his family back in the spring to reconnect and reminisce about his loving and caring spirit.

“The care my dad received was beyond just medicine, it was the people,” stated Earl Murphy III, Butch’s son. “My dad looked forward to seeing everyone at his appointments.”

Butch’s care team, who formed a close bond with Butch during his treatment, recalled how he had a strong drive to succeed, which translated to all aspects of his life. An avid car enthusiast, he made a living by restoring Rolls Royce and Bentley cars. He would always give 100% effort and was known for saying “Full steam ahead” and “Don’t spare the horsepower.” His son and grandson will continue his legacy and passion for cars. “Butch has a place in everybody’s heart,” said Janice Novotni, Cancer Care Resource Center coordinator. Volunteer and cancer survivor Kitty Handley remembered Butch always jokingly asking, “What are you peddling today?” whenever she brought the snack cart around. These stories and memories brought closure and comfort to the Murphy family.

“I’ve never seen a place like Fairfield Medical Center, where people work as a team – a real team,” Joyce Murphy stated. “The care he received is the reason for this donation, and this reunion showed me that Butch will not be forgotten.”

Even during a pandemic, stories of kindness and acts of generosity show the power of selfless giving. Through generous donors like the Murphy family, the FMC Foundation has the ability to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and fund preventative screenings.

“We are so grateful for the Murphy family and their generous donation in Butch’s name,” said Tracy Kelly, executive director of the FMC Foundation. “When you support our healing mission, you are saving and changing lives right here in our community – our friends, neighbors and loved ones. Your gift of any amount will make a lasting difference, living on through the heartfelt work of the FMC family.”

If you are interested in learning more about individual giving opportunities, please visit fmchealth.org or text to give today.