www.therecord.com.au
6 October 2016
Edition #102
MUNJED AL MUDERIS CAPTIVATES AUDIENCE AT 2016 MERCYCARE ORATION
(L-R) Belinda Bosley; Chair of MercyCare Board, Mary Woodford; Munjed Al Muderis and MercyCare CEO Chris Hall at the 2016 MercyCare Oration, held on 22 September 2016.
MORE THAN 600 guests at te nde d this ye a r ’s MercyCare Oration, held at the Hyatt Regency Perth on 22 September. The audience was captivated by the incredible life story of orator Munjed Al Muderis, the pioneering surgeon who came to Australia as an asylum seeker. Mr Al Muderis recounted his life story, describing his experiences as a one-time refugee turned orthopaedic surgeon, author, and human rights activist. As a first-year resident doctor in Iraq, Mr Al Muderis was forced to f lee his homeland after he rejected Saddam Hussein’s brutal orders to amputate the ears of Iraqi army deserters. After surviving a harrowing boat trip, he arrived in Australia and was sent to Curtin Immigration Detention Centre where he spent 10 long months before finally being granted a visa to stay. Driven by his selfless
mission to change the lives of amputees, Mr Al Muderis continued his career in medicine to become a world leader in osseointegration surgery – a ground breaking technique that has enabled amputees, including soldiers wounded in war zones, the ability to walk again. MercyCare Chief Executive Officer Chris Hall said Mr Al Muderis had been invited to present this year’s Oration because his poignant personal story and advocacy work closely aligned with MercyCare’s support for refugees and asylum seekers. “The Oration is designed to raise awareness, educate, inspire and change people’s perceptions of an issue through the telling of one person’s story,” Mr Hall said. “We hope that Munjed’s experiences resonated deeply with the wider community, and promoted a better understanding about why people seek asylum and the challenges they face when
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Invited to speak at this year’s MercyCare Oration, Mr Al Muderis recounted his life story, describing his experiences as a one-time refugee turned orthopaedic surgeon, author, and human rights activist. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
they arrive in Australia.” This year’s event was attended by leaders from the WA business community, as well as Auxiliary Bishop of Perth Donald Sproxton, Peter Abetz MLA, and representatives from the MercyCare Board and Trustees, Sisters of Mercy and Corporate Partners. The f und aims to unlock opportunities in our community for people seeking asylum by providing small grants to help bridge the gap to work, education
and community connection. Donations can be made via the MercyCare website www. mercycare.com.au/keystolife MercyCare is a leading Catholic provider of aged care, family, health, disability and community services. We employ over 1000 staff and 175 volunteers, delivering more than 40 person-centred programs and services, from over 35 locations throughout Western Australia. Full Text available at
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