A special opportunity

Yuma resident Brian Murphy preparing to travel to Austria to golf in Special Olympics

Over the last 50 years athletes from all over the world have had a unique opportunity that could seem unthinkable otherwise through the Special Olympics.

The organization has helped athletes with intellectual disabilities try new sports, travel the world and serve as ambassadors in their own sense.

Yuma resident Brian Murphy will get a new experience altogether in two weeks as he goes on a trip through the Special Olympics to Austria to represent the United States as a golfer. Murphy will visit Austria from June 5-12 to play in the Special Olympics Sommerspiele. The actual ceremonies will last from the 8th to the 11th and it will be his first trip to Europe.

Athletes from 12 different countries will participate in the many sporting events throughout the week.

“I’m probably (most looking forward to) a story to tell people that I not only went overseas, but I went for a purpose. To play golf,” Murphy said.

He says he’s most looking forward to exploring and learning about the area.

“The scenery, the train rides, I don’t know if we’re going to do any excursions, but I hope we do,” Murphy said.

Murphy, who will be 29 on May 31, suffered from medulloblastoma when he was eight years old. Medulloblastoma is a type of brain cancer and it damaged an area of the brain that aids in development. It is the most common type of brain cancer for children, and between 250 and 500 children are found to have medulloblastoma each year in the United States.

Prior to his cancer Murphy was involved in regular education programs while growing up in Spokane, Washington. He played soccer and was involved in almost everything as a child.

As the years went by he became more and more involved in Special Olympics, which gave him a chance to try a little bit of everything. In addition to golf, he’s