In September 2005, a group of Bastyr University students traveled to Kenya where they opened the doors to the Chris Halperin Memorial Clinic, located in the village community of Kiminini, in Kenya. The clinic, constructed by two construction management students from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) working through Village Volunteers and the Common Ground Project, is dedicated both to Chris’s memory as well as his legacy of healing and compassion for under-served populations.
In December 2005, the Chris Halperin Memorial Clinic and Pathfinder Academy received the gift of electrical power thanks to the fundraising efforts of Open Hearts Little Sister Villages, in Wenatchee, WA, and the generous contributions from the people of Wenatchee.
The clinic's mission is to combine naturopathic and traditional healing practices with western style medicine in order to bring awareness to and fight against some of the regions most serious health problems such as HIV/AIDS.
About Chris Halperin
Chris Halperin grew up in New York State where he excelled academically and emerged as a popular leader among his peers. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he moved to Seattle Washington to began his medical training at Bastyr University in 1998, focusing on naturopathic and oriental medicine. At the same time that he was earning his degree, Chris was active member of the community, working both at a group home as well as volunteering at the Seattle Aquarium. As a student, he helped to found the Bastyr University chapter of Washington State Student Physicians for Social Responsibility (WSPSR). In all his actions, he pursued his passion for universal healthcare, international and traditional medicine, and world peace.
In September 2001, Chris, along with two fellow Bastyr University naturopathic medical students Leigh Kochan and Kim Tippens, traveled to a Majiwa village in Nyanza Province, Kenya in order to open an integrative healthcare clinic. After much preparation, the clinic opened its doors to people from miles around who wanted to educate themselves about HIV/AIDS. The students designed handouts outlining nutrients and dietary recommendations for HIV/AIDS patients and before they left the states, secured donations of large quantities of vitamin supplements, herbs as well as homeopathic products to distribute. Not only did the people of the village find hope in the presence of these students, but Chris and his coworkers were also forever changed by their experiences through the clinic.
As the Bastyr ream approached the end of their trip, they were presented with gifts from village elders and given honorary names in Kiluo, the indigenous language of the region. Chris was given the name “Doktari Majiwa” meaning “hard working doctor” because of his commitment and dedication to the clinic.
On April 1, 2003, two weeks before Chris Halperin was to graduate with a double degree in naturopathic medicine and acupuncture, he passed away unexpectedly. In honor of his commitment to providing health care in underserved communities, the Chris Halperin Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established to enable other students and healthcare professionals from Bastyr University to continue his work in a region with immense public health concerns. In this way, the kindness and generosity of Chris’s life will continue.
Support Chris’s vision to establish the role of integrative medicine in primary and critical public health care in rural villages. To donate click here.
