Submitted by CAPITAL ORTHO
Dr. Jeff Kennedy
“Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” – 1 Peter 4:10
Dr. Jeff Kennedy, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement at Capital Ortho in the greater Jackson area, has always had a heart for mission work, and he said the above verse “has been a great motivator for my desire to help in the mission field both locally and abroad.”
Dr. Kennedy’s first mission trip abroad was in the late ’90s to Iquitos, Peru, where he provided both orthopedic and dental care. Since that time, he has been on more than a dozen mission trips abroad, including Africa with Samaritan’s Purse, El Salvador with Operation Walk, Peru with multiple organizations, and Haiti with One Mission Society. He also frequently volunteers with Eight Days of Hope, a disaster relief organization started in Tupelo. Each of his adult children has accompanied him on one or more of these trips.
After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Dr. Kennedy put together a team of colleagues and friends from the Jackson area called the “Jackson 5!” Some of the team included himself, Dr. Will McCraney, Dr. Parker Ellison, and Dr. Steve Davidson. One of Dr. Kennedy’s patient’s sons was Navy Admiral Ted Branch, who provided a Sea Stallion helicopter to transport the physicians from northern Haiti to the southern peninsula.
This summer, Dr. Kennedy will embark on a mission trip to Peru with an incredible team from his church, First Presbyterian Church of Jackson. At the helm of this trip are Drs. Danny Story and Craig Flowers. They are all looking forward to not only sharing the gospel, but also providing important medical care.
Team members are hoping to strengthen, encourage, and tangibly show the love of Christ to the missionary families, the local church, and the surrounding neighborhood through medical and dental clinics, VBS, and any other means the Lord provides.
“I just truly enjoy helping people and giving back. God has immensely blessed me and my family in my life, and it’s very rewarding to be able to use my skills to help and hopefully bless others through serving and meeting real-time needs. It really makes you appreciative of where you live and what you have when you go overseas. We provide medical care that people would otherwise never get, or have access to, and it’s very fulfilling to be a part of that.”
Dr. Jeff Kennedy is an orthopedic surgeon at Capital Ortho who specializes in total hip and knee replacements. Capital Ortho is a comprehensive orthopedic care clinic and surgery center that is home to knowledgeable surgeons, therapists and industry professionals with one goal in mind: to treat our patients completely, with care and concern. For more info, visit capitalortho.com.
