Dr Ben Carson. (A ROLE MODEL)



Dr. Carson’s modest beginnings are certainly what make his career success amazing and almost unfathomable—he was an inner-city kid who literally went from "class dummy" to a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon.  Many marvel at Dr. Carson’s ability to overcome what many would consider impossible odds.  Dr. Carson recalled the obstacles he overcame as a youth--reared up in an impoverished broken home in Detroit Michigan, with poor grades, a violent temper, and severe low self-esteem.   But despite these unfavourable circumstances Dr. Carson obtained great success.  Instrumental in young Carson’s success, was his mother Sonya Carson, who performed domestic work to keep her family financially afloat. With only a third grade education herself, Sonya Carson prayed diligently for wisdom in an effort to help young Ben and his older brother Curtis succeed in school.  She implemented an agenda that limited the boys’ television viewing and required weekly trips to the Detroit public library. 

Although she could not read them, she also made it mandatory that hers sons write weekly book reports.   Reading spurred young Ben’s interest in science so much so that he amazed his classmates with his newfound knowledge. Consequently, he rose from being the “class dummy” to the top of the class in one year. Vigorous studying and a thirst for knowledge enabled young Carson to graduate from high school with honours and gain admission to Yale University where he went on to pursue a degree in Psychology.  While pursuing his medical degree at the University of Michigan Medical School, Dr. Carson’s interest shifted from psychiatry to neurosurgery.   It was then that Dr. Carson realized that his ability to visualize the Brain in three-dimensions, excellent hand-eye coordination, and extensive neurological background were qualities fitting for a career as a neurosurgeon.  After medical school Carson became a neurosurgery resident at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.  That was almost thirty years ago and today Dr. Carson still practices at the institution.    Dr. Carson is currently the director of pediatric neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, a position he has held since 1984.  At age 33, Dr. Carson became the youngest physician ever to head a major division at Johns Hopkins.  Dr. Carson is also professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics. His success and contribution to Johns Hopkins Hospital has been phenomenal.  Dr. Carson has received much fame and recognition for performing and mastering ground breaking surgical procedures.  Dr. Carson uses his dedication and God-given talent to take on seemingly impossible operations, giving children hope for a second-chance at a healthy and normal life. Dr. Carson began to rise to the medical forefront in 1985 when the huge article was released by the Washington Post about his success with the then highly unpopular and variably unsuccessful hemispherectomy operation—a dangerous operation involving removal of half of the patients brain.  Dr. Carson gained much notoriety after performing his first successful cerebral hemispherectomy on a child patient that suffered from intractable seizures.  One year later,in 1986, his success in performing the 1st ever Intrauterine made national news.  Dr. Carson successfully performed an operation to alleviate the hydrocephalus of one of two twin babies while the baby was still in utero. To add to an already escalating career, Dr.Carson captured world-wide media attention when he took on another radical and rare surgical procedure.
 In 1987, he was the principal surgeon in the 22-hour separation of the Binder Siamese twins from Germany. Dr. Carson’s success was particularly noteworthy because it was the first time occipital craniopagus twins (joined at the back of head) had been separated with both babies surviving. A decade later in 1997, Dr. Carson was the lead surgeon in a team of South African and Zambian surgeons in an operation that involved the separation of  vertical craniopagus twins (joined at the top of the head.   It was the first time that such twins joined at that level of complexity recovered from surgery with both patients remaining neurologically normal.  More than a dozen attempts had been made prior to that operation but none had been successful. Today Dr. Carson continues to take on risky surgeries. In 2003, he attempted to separate the two adult Bijani twins from Iraq.  Though unsuccessful, this had been the first attempt to separate adult craniopagus twins. To say the least, Dr. Carson has enjoyed an amazing career. Over the years he has written over 90 neurosurgical publications.  Dr. Carson is a recipient of numerous honors and awards including more than 25 honorary degrees and dozens of national citations of merit. Carson is also a member of the American Academy of Achievement, the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans, the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and many other distinguished organizations. Dr. Carson sits on the board of directors of numerous organizations, including Kellogg Company, Costco Wholesale Corporation, the Yale Corporation, and America's Promise. 
 In addition to his academic responsibilities, Dr. Carson is a widely sought after motivational speaker who has addressed a variety of audiences ranging from grade school students to officials of the white house.  In fact, in 2003 Dr. Carson was made the Bush administration's newest appointee to the President's Council on Bioethics, a position which allows him to address bio-ethical issues and bring moral issues to government attention. In his work, Dr. Carson reaches beyond the scope of medicine and is deemed by many as a dedicated philanthropist.  Dr. Carson is president and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund which recognizes young people of all backgrounds for exceptional academic and humanitarian accomplishments. Dr. Carson is also president and co-founder of the Benevolent Endowment Network Fund (The BEN Fund), an organization that works cover the medical expenses of pediatric neurosurgery patients with complex medical conditions. When Dr. Carson is not performing surgeries, speaking at engagements, attending board meetings, or fundraising, he is writing inspiring and uplifting books.  Carson has produced three bestselling books entitled Gifted Hands, THINK BIG, and The Big Picture, and is currently working on a fourth publication. “I feel that the Lord is using me in a number of different ways,” says Dr. Carson.  Carson also serves in his local Seventh Day Adventist church as an elder and Sabbath school teacher.  Dr, Carson said “I feel that it’s a tremendous privilege to be able to intervene in people’s lives and bring about good health and prolonged health. That’s one of the best things about the medical profession. One might ask where he finds all the time to engage in so many commitments.

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