Biography of Dr. Benjamin Carson

             Benjamin (Ben) Carson was born September 5, 1951 in Detroit, MI to Robert Solomon and Sonya Copeland Carson. He and his older brother Curtis were raised in one of the poorest neighborhoods. His mother encouraged them by telling them they "could be anything you want to be." She only had a 3rd grade education, and knew how important an education was. Ben and his brother were only allowed to watch 2-3 TV shows a week (which she chose), and had to read at least 2 books a week. Ben graduated from Detroit's Southwestern High with honors. He received a full scholarship to Yale University. He graduated from Yale in 1973 with a BA degree. In 1977, he received a MD from the University of Michigan Medical School. .
             Later on, he became a neurosurgeon at John Hopkins Hospital. He was the first black neurosurgeon at Hopkins. Here, he was named director of pediatric neurology in 1984. He performed operations most doctors say cannot be done. A 4-year-old boy had a cancerous tumor on his brain stem. After doctors declared the tumor inoperable, Carson performed 2 laborious operations and removed the tumor. The child recovered. In another case, a 4-year-old girl who suffered over 120 seizures a day and was paralyzed on her right side was brought to Carson. After a 10-hour surgery, he removed the left size of her brain, which was diseased. Six months later, the girl was free of seizures, regained almost completely her right side, and once again dreamed of becoming a ballerina. In 1987 Carson performed what many have called the most complex operation in medical history: the separation of Siamese twins joined at the back of the head. German twins Pat and Ben Binder had separate brains, but were joined at the back of the head where they shared blood vessels. Doctors said they could not separate the twins without sacrificing 1 child.
             Carson studied the twins medical records and came up with a plan to save both- stop their hearts, drain their blood supply, then restore circulation after they were safely separated, a never before tried procedure.