Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2016

163 / 178

Kicking Butt
forTheir Patients
Colon Surgeons of Charleston
163
Feeling Good
There are some things you
may be too embarrassed to talk about
even to your best friend. But there is
no need to suffer in silence. Margarita
Murphy, MD, is the sort of doctor
you can confide in about anything.
As a colon surgeon, she has dealt with
everything from hemorrhoids to invasive colorectal cancer.
Dr. Murphy grew up in a family of lawyers, but she
knew, even from childhood, that she wanted to be a
doctor. She wasn’t sure
about the specialty until she
was in medical school, but it soon became clear.
“I like results so I got into
surgery,” Dr. Murphy said. “And
colon cancer is highly curable.”
She and her husband, Dr.
Brendan Murphy, are the owners of
a state-of-the-art practice dedicated
to minimally invasive colorectal
surgeries. Designed by the doctor
herself to offer the best diagnostics
available in the United States and to
treat many patients on-site, Colon
Surgeons of Charleston provides a
whole new level of care.
Dr. Murphy is rated as the number 2 colon surgeon
for fecal incontinence in the country, not only because of
her exceptional skills in the operating room but for her
compassion for her patients. She has a sense of humor
– joking that patients want her to “fix their pain in the
butt” – but is serious about changing her patients’ lives
for the better.
To that end, Colon Surgeons of Charleston is the first
to offer Fuse,™ the latest endoscopy technology, which
provides a panoramic view inside the colon. It enables the
doctors to find even the smallest tumors, up to 69 percent
more than traditional technology. Their goal is to reduce
the number of deaths from colorectal cancer.
By BarBara Millen Patrick
| |
“It means we can bring a higher quality of care to our
patients,” Dr. Murphy said.
Although not life-threatening, fecal incontinence is
life-altering for many patients and a challenge to treat. As a
leading expert in this field, Dr. Murphy stays abreast of the
very latest technology, often traveling to Europe and South
America to speak at conferences and learn about new
procedures to help these patients lead normal, active lives.
“These ladies are so grateful,” she said about the women
who seek help for fecal incontinence.
Dr. Murphy is grateful for her success and has a deep
need to help all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
“We all have a way to serve,” Dr. Murphy explained.
“I serve patients through Seacoast
Church’s free clinic, the Dream
Center.”
Beverly Greene was one of the
patients who went to the Dream Center.
She had not been feeling well for several
months. A colonoscopy revealed “a very
large mass” according to Dr. Murphy.
The surgery went well and Dr. Murphy
had good news for her patient.
“She said, ‘Ms. Greene, you
are cancer free,’” Beverly said. “We
hugged and cried.”
That was two years ago, and Beverly Greene remains
cancer free and grateful for the medical care she received,
even though she had no insurance.
Because Dr. Murphy owns the surgical center, she
is able to outfit it with the latest technology and treat
patients based on their health needs rather than their
ability to pay.
That was a huge relief for Beverly Greene, who received
a scary diagnosis but the gift of a good outcome.
“Dr. Murphy is my heart,” Beverly said. “I love her.”
To learn more, visit
or call 843-853-7730.
even when she was a child, Margarita
Murphy knew she wanted to be a doctor.
Photo by Brian Sherman.