Print-Friendly Version |
Dr. Renee Shackelford from Stone Mountain, Ga. writes: "Dr. Ben Carson is my hero because he offers hope and inspiration to children through his autobiographical work, Gifted Hands. Dr. Carson was said to be the dumbest kid in his fifth-grade class. Through a mother's love and guidance and his own hard work, Dr. Carson went from the bottom of the class to the top, becoming the youngest Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. Dr. Carson has a strong religious base and is one of our great black Americans."Kolawole Olakunle from Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria, writes: "My hero is Ben Carson, for his breakthrough in neurosurgery." Tatianna Joyner from Baltimore, Md., writes: "My Hero is Dr. Ben Carson. When my cousin was about three years old he was sitting on the steps playing with toys and got shot in the head. Usually when people get shot in their head they die, but Dr. Carson operated on him. Right now my cousin is 14 years old, about to be 15, and nothing is wrong with him. He has no type of disablities whatsoever, and it's all because of Ben Carson."
|
| "I really felt I was the stupidest kid in the fifth grade." |
LIFESAVER HERO:
BEN CARSON
by Dr. Renee Shackelford
But Carson's mother knew that education was the only way he was ever going to escape poverty and ridicule. She made Ben and his brother limit their television viewing to two programs per week. His mother also required that he and his brother each read two books per week and do written reports on them. Dr. Carson recalls, "I was in the fifth grade and had never read a whole book." With the encouragement of his mother, Ben Carson became a reader.
His message to adults and children is really inspiring. In a September 1997 interview with PBS he spoke about overcoming obstacles and working to make the world a better place for everyone: "As a person who deals in the neural sciences, I've come to have great respect for the brain and its capabilities. You know, the brain can process two million bits of information per second. It remembers everything you've ever seen, everything you've ever heard, and with brains like these, we really shouldn't be wandering around talking about what we can't do; we should be trying to create an atmosphere that helps our young people to realize that, whatever they can imagine, they can achieve."  Dr. Carson has written a book about his life, Gifted Hands: A True Story of Healing and Inspiration, which is to be made into a motion picture. A review of this book described it as a portrait of a man's "extraordinary path to success." When his journey began, he was living in poverty, had a pathological temper, poor self-esteem and awful grades. Now this same person has been profiled on the ABC News show 20/20, listed in Who's Who in America, and received the American Black Achievement Award. There is also a stage play based on his life. "Ben Carson, M.D." ran in Baltimore, Maryland for more than two years and was a big success. His book, The Big Picture: Getting Perspective on What's Really Important in Life, explores how we can overcome obstacles to take action on behalf of something greater than ourselves. His book Think Big also explores his life philosophy. Someone who has made such a dramatic change in the course of his life can certainly inspire others to have faith in their own intellect. This is what makes him a hero.
|
After the fifth grade, Carson not only excelled in school but went on to become a leader in neuroscience as head of Johns Hopkins University's Pediatric Neurosurgery unit. Carson is known as the originator of ground-breaking surgical procedures, a doctor who turns seemingly impossible hopes into joyous reality. He is a humanitarian who reaches beyond corporate boardrooms to touch the lives of inner-city kids.
|
Written by
Dr. Renee Shackelford
Photos courtesy of Dr. Ben Carson's website and foundation. Story edited by Jeanne Meyers. Photo of Ben and Sonya Carson by Robert Smith. |
|
Dr. Ben Carson On The American Dream Web site The Carson Scholars Fund recognizes and rewards outstanding students in grades 4-12 with $1,000 scholarships invested for college An interview with Dr. Ben Carson about his book The Big Picture David Gergen, editor of U.S. News and World Report, interviews Dr. Carson on PBS Sept. 7. 1999 Academy of Achievement Read an interview with Dr. Benjamin S. Carson. The Academy of Achievement brings students face-to-face with the extraordinary leaders, thinkers and pioneers who have shaped our world. |
Read the The Big Picture By Ben Carson with Gregg Lewis; 271 page; Hardcover; Published by Zondervan (1/99)
Another book by Dr. Carson is called Think Big. In this book, each letter of the title Think Big stands for another word: T for Talent, H for Honesty, I for Insight, N for Nice, K for Knowledge, B for Books, I for In-Depth Learning, and G for God. Dr. Carson is also the author of Gifted Hands For more information on Dr. Ben Carson, check out the The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery website. |
RECOMMENDED
READING | |
 Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story by Ben Carson, Cecil Murphey |
 Think Big by Ben Carson, Cecil Murphey |
 |  |  |  |
| A Powerful Noise promotes the global empowerment of women | A Stranger helped a young girl who was lost in the city. | Alan Beavan will be remembered for his bravery on Sept. 11, 2001. | Albert Schweitzer had a 'reverence for life.' |
 |  |  |  |
| Andrea Coleman has used her passion for motorcycling to transform healthcare delivery in rural parts of Africa. | Babak Darvish, MD inspires his patients and coworkers with his upbeat attitude and determination. | Balto led his dog team on the lifesaving 1925 serum run to Rome, Alaska | Ben Carson is the chief of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. |
 |  |  |  |
| Bernard Fantus created the world's first blood bank. | Bernard Kouchner is the co-founder of Doctors without Borders | Bill Wilson changed countless lives and livelihoods by founding Alcoholics Anonymous. | Chiune and Yukiko Sugihara believed in freedom and saved many Jews during WWII. |
 |  |  |  |
| Claire Lalanne founded the Center for Nutritional Recovery. | Colonel Jack H. Jacobs His extraordinary heroism saved the lives of 14 people. | Dan Mazur sacrificed climbing to the summit of Mt. Everest to save another climber. | Dennis Smith Dennis Smith is an author and retired firefighter |
 |  |  |  |
| Desmond T. Doss became a medic during WWII and saved many lives. | Doctor Steven Kopits was a compassionate physician who lives on in the hearts of his patients. | Don Cheadle and Darfur Now deliver a call to action to stop the genocide in the Sudan. | Dr. David Applebaum was a selfless emergency room doctor in Jerusalem |
 |  |  |  |
| Dr. Ginger Holt saved Drew's leg when he was in the hospital. | Dr. J. Larry Brown directs the national Center on Hunger and Poverty. | Dr. Mark Jacobson works with AIDS patients in Tanzania. | Dr. Michael DeBakey is the father of modern open-heart surgery. |
 |  |  |  |
| Dr. Paul Brand was a compassionate surgeon who pioneered work in leprosy. | Dr. Van Halbach is a hero to the Ghenender family for saving Ingrid's life. | Eddie Aikau loved the sea and often risked his life to save others | Edith Cavell was a nurse who risked her own safety to help others during WWI |
 |  |  |  |
| Elizabeth Blackwell became the first female doctor and opened the first medical school for women. | Evelyn H. Lauder founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation | Fauzia Minallah is the founder of Funkor Childart Centre and an ARTIVIST. | Firefighters in New York City are the heroes of the day. |
 |  |  |  |
| Fireworkers from Chernobyl bravely gave their lives to protect the safety of others during the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. | Florence Ngobeni urges African leaders to work for AIDS prevention. | Florence Nightingale revolutionized nursing. | Frances Moore Lappe works to eliminate the injustices that cause hunger. |
 |  |  |  |
| Fred Hollows was an Australian ophthalmologist committed to providing eye care to Aboriginal and poor people. | Fridtjof Nansen was a daring explorer, a freedom fighter, and a selfless humanitarian. | George Latham saved a girl from a burning car and is also a hero to his daughter. | Giorgio Perlasca saved the lives of thousands of Jews during WWII |
 |  |  |  |
| Harriet Tubman organized the Underground Railroad and helped lead slaves to freedom. | Helene Gayle is one of the leading authorities on AIDS research. | Hermine Santrouschitz (Miep Gies) kept Anne Frank and her family safely hidden from the Nazis. | In My Name challenges all of us to take a stand to end poverty. |
 |  |  |  |
| Irena Sendler helped Jewish children escape the Warsaw ghetto during the Holocaust. | Ivan Beltrami joined the resistance during WWII and saved many Jews. | Jody Williams is a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner who began a campaign to rid the world of landmines. | John Polivchuk was a firefighter who inspired others with his bravery, selflessness and optimism. |
 |  |  |  |
| Jon Rose is a surfer dedicated to bringing clean drinking water to the world. | Judith Blair donated one of her kidneys to a man in desperate need. | Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is a hero to Rachel who was recently diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. | Kurt Klein brought, among others, his future wife, Gerda, and Oskar Schindler, to safety. |
 |  |  |  |
| Lillie Hitchcock-Coit was a turn of the century firefighting hero. | Liviu Librescu was a Virginia Tech teacher who sacrificed his life to save his students. | Maximilian Kolbe was a Catholic Saint known for his great humanity during WWII. | Michael Kelley beat all the odds as a paratrooper and police officer. |
 |  |  |  |
| Mike Kelly risked his career as a surgeon to save Bob's life. | Mikey Ray Frasier is a lifesaver three times over. | Molly Pitcher was a Revolutionary War heroine who bravely carried water to soldiers on the battlefield. | Moses Zulu established Children's Town in Zambia to teach AIDS orphans life skills. |
 |  |  |  |
| mpower harnesses the power of music to change youth attitudes about mental health. | Nathaniel Dunigan creates hope for Ugandan orphans with HIV/AIDS. | Nick Anderson and Ana Slavin challenge young people to get involved to help end the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. | Norman Borlaug saved billions of lives with his agricultural discoveries. |
 |  |  |  |
| Olara Otunnu is devoted to saving the lives and futures of children in war-torn countries. | Olivia Harrison founded an organization to help abandoned children in Romania. | Oumoul Khary Sow founded the Caravan of Hope which travels to remote areas in Senegal to help prevent malaria. | Pat Pedraja and Driving for Donors is helping young and old cancer patients receive the life saving bone marrow treatments. |
 |  |  |  |
| Paul Farmer has dedicated his life to treating people in the poorest nations in the world | Paul Rusesabagina saved the lives of more than 1200 Rwandans who took refuge in his hotel. | Princess Eliza Ella has been inspired by Eliza the hero in The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Anderson | Raoul Wallenberg saved thousands of lives during the Holocaust. |
 |  |  |  |
| RAWA promotes women's rights through non-violent action. | Robert E. Kimura, M.D. is a hero to his niece in and out of the operating room. | Rudolph Giuliani , New York Mayor, was a compassionate leader following the World Trade Center attack. | Ryan Hreljac helps build wells for clean water in Africa. |
 |  |  |  |
| Sompop Jantraka helps poor children in Thailand to avoid child prostitution and obtain an education. | To Write Love On Her Arms was founded to help people suffering from depression and substance abuse. | Tommie Hamaluba is a teacher in Botswana, Africa working to eradicate malaria. | Trisomy 18 Foundation raises awareness and supports research for cures for this genetic disorder. |
 | |||
| Vilmos Farkas sacrificed his personal safety to save the lives of a couple of strangers. |
 |  |  |  |
| Abner Peeler is credited with the invention of the first airbrush. | Ada Lovelace was a ninteenth century woman who influenced the computer programming of today | Alan Turing laid the theoretical groundwork for the first computer. | Albert Einstein believed in the power of imagination. |
 |  |  |  |
| Alexander Borodin was an accomplished chemist, composer and staunch advocate of women's rights. | Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of the telephone. | Ameen Abdulrasool is a young inventor who developed a portable navigation system for the blind. | Amy Charkowski works on the front lines of protecting Earth's food supply. |
 |  |  |  |
| Andrea Mia Ghez is an astrophysicist best known for her discoveries about the black hole at the center of our galaxy. | Ariel Ruiz i Altaba Scientist - Photographer combines art and science to research how cells are generated and formed. | Audrey Penn: Just Do It is a medical doctor who has devoted herself to studying diseases that affect muscle control. | Augusta Ada Byron developed the world's first computer program while struggling with her own personal hardships. |
|  | |  |
| Babak Darvish, MD inspires his patients and coworkers with his upbeat attitude and determination. | Barbara McClintock was one of the first women geneticists, and a Nobel laureate. | Ben Carson is the chief of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. | Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, diplomat, writer, and a huge influence on American history. |
 | |  |  |
| Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, civic leader and founding father of the U.S. | Bernard Fantus created the world's first blood bank. | Bernardo Houssay was an Argentinean physiologist and Nobel Prize winner. | Beth Rickard Environmentalist is an advocate of solar as the energy of the future. |
 |  |  |  |
| Bill Fenical "Neptune's Medicine Chest" is a pioneer in the hunt for medicines from the ocean to treat cancer and other diseases. | Bonnie Dunbar helped start a scholars program to inspire students to pursue careers in aerospace and engineering. | Charles Darwin is the father of modern biology. | Chiaki Mukai is the first female Japanese astronaut. |
 |  |  |  |
| Christiane Nusslein-Volhard is a Nobel Prize winner and pioneer genetic researcher. | Claudia Gerwin: Keeping the Neurons Firing researches how nerve cells relay messages to each other. | Clifford V. Johnson is a string theorist who studies the makeup of the smallest particles of the universe. | Connie Samaras has created media archives for deep space voyages. |
 |  |  |  |
| Courtney Schumacher is an atmospheric scientist and educator committed to mentoring young women interested in science. | Cristina Diaz: Biologist studies intertidal and tropical sponges. | Dame Cicely Saunders founded the modern hospice to provide compassionate, holistic care to the dying. | DAREnet provides open access to Dutch academic research information and findings. |
 |  |  |  |
| Darlene Cavalier founded ScienceCheerleader.com to promote science literacy. | Darlene Ketten studies stranded whales and dolphins. | Dean Kamen makes science and technology exciting for young people, | Debbye Turner became Miss America and pursued her dream to become a veterinarian. |
 |  |  |  |
| Dilfuza Egamberdiyeva cares for the Earth's soil, researching ways to produce microbes to control plant diseases. | Dr Deepak Acharya is a scientist devoted to protecting India's endangered Patalkot Forest. | Dr. Alexander Langmuir Langmuir's work in epidemiology has saved millions of lives. | Dr. Barbara Ross Lee became the first African American woman dean of a US medical school. |
 |  |  |  |
| Dr. Caldicott has been a lifelong anti-nuclear activist. | Dr. Carolyn Mazure founded the Yale Women's Health Program and is a forceful figure in the women's health movement. | Dr. Edward Holland Ophthalmologist transplants corneal stem cells to help give people their sight back. | Dr. Edward Jenner discovered the vaccine. |
 |  |  |  |
| Dr. Elizabeth Kalko and the Jason Project studies bats in the Panamanian rainforest. | Dr. Elvia Niebla Soil Scientist is dedicated to soil conservation. | Dr. Farouk El-Baz is an Egyptian space scientist and geologist. | Dr. France Cordova is a renowned astrophysicist who has broken gender and cultural barriers. |
 |  |  |  |
| Dr. Gloria WilderBrathwaite was inspired to provide health care to the poor in the innner city. | Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy cares for the eyes of millions of people in India. | Dr. Ines Cifuentes Seismologist works to improve science programs for students in Washington, DC. | Dr. Karen Plaut has been a pioneer in animal science research. |
 |  |  | |
| Dr. Kay Jamison is both an expert on, and a sufferer of, Bipolar Disorder. | Dr. Kristi Curry-Rogers is an accomplished paleontologist who travels the globe in search of dinosaur digs. | Dr. Madan Kataria has started a revolution of joy and laughter that is spreading around the world. | Dr. Michael DeBakey is the father of modern open-heart surgery. |
 |  |  |  |
| Dr. Patch Adams gives the practice of medicine a humorous twist. | Dr. Richard Murphy Marine Biologist educates others about the sea and ways to protect the oceans for the future. | Dr. Robert Ballard and the JASON project bring scientific exploration to children around the world. | Dr. Rosalie Bertell Anti-Nuclear Nun is a renowned scientist, eco-feminist and peace activist. |
 |  | .jpg) |  |
| Dr. Sara W. Lazar Neuroscientist - Meditator researches the effects of meditation on the brain. | Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh is a scientist dedicated to the study and conservation of bonobos. | Dr. Susan Love is committed to women's health issues. | Dr. Zeda Rosenberg is working to protect women from HIV/AIDS. |
|  |  |  |
| Elizabeth Blackwell became the first female doctor and opened the first medical school for women. | Enrico Fermi was one of the 20th century's greatest physicists. | Envirofit retrofits engines to reduce pollution and enhance energy efficiency in developing countries. | Erich Jarvis observes song birds and uses his training with molecular biology to learn about brain behavior. |
 |  |  |  |
| F. Sherwood Rowland discovered the 'greenhouse effect.' | Fati Kirakoya is a researcher committed to finding solutions to end HIV/AIDS. | Frederick Banting was the co-discoverer of Insulin. | Friends of the Sea Lion rescue, treat, and release these mammals back into the ocean. |
 |  |  |  |
| Gail Kaaialii: Biologist investigates the origins of life and helps others value all life forms. | Galileo Galilei was the first to use a telescope to observe the stars and planets. | George Washington Carver is famous for experimenting with plants. | Gertrude B. Elion developed the AIDS drug, AZT. |
 |  |  |  |
| Gina Gallant is an inventor whose passion is protecting the environment. | Grace Murray Hopper was a computer visionary and naval officer. | Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor who won a Nobel Prize in Physics for wireless telegraphy. | Guion S. Bluford, Jr. became the first African-American in space. |
 |  |  |  |
| Hazel Barton combines her passion for caving with researching microbes. | Hib Vaccine Team created an affordable, synthetic vaccine against the bacteria that can cause meningitis and pneumonia. | Howard Florey shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine for extracting penicillin. | Irene Ayako Uchida helped find the link between radiation and birth defects. |
 |  |  |  |
| Irene Curie was the second woman in history to win the Nobel Prize in science; the first woman was her mother, Marie. | Jack St. Clair Kilby invented the microchip. | James Burke developed a model of discovery called the Knowledge Web to connect information across space and time. | Jane Mt. Pleasant is an agricultural scientist who looks to the past to meet today's farming needs. |
 |  |  |  |
| Jonas Salk discovered the polio vaccine. | Kathy Sullivan was the first American woman to walk in space. | Leon Lederman devotes much of his time and energy to improving science education in America. | Leonard Adleman improves lives with his work in DNA technology. |
 |  |  |  |
| Leonardo da Vinci was an artist and a scientist ever curious of the world around him. | Leslie Thompson is a scientist devoted to finding a cure for Huntington's Disease. | Louis Pasteur 's discoveries advanced the practice of medicine. | Luz Maria Rodriguez-Fernandez conducts cancer research to help understand the disease process. |
 |  |  |  |
| Madame Curie received the Nobel Prize for her discovery of Radium. | Mae Jemison dreamed of going to space since childhood. | Magdalena Hurtado is an anthropologist who studies the Ache people of Paraguay. | Margaret Mead was a renowned anthropologist who thought in terms of 'the interconnection of all aspects of human life.' |
 |  |  |  |
| Marie Curie discovered radioactivity as an atomic property, opening the door to 20th century science. | Martha Mecartney is a scientist, engineer and professor committed to helping young women interested in the field of science. | Meenakshi Wadhwa studies meteorites and the processes involved in their formation. | Merieme Chadid is an astronomer from Morocco who did research at the South Pole. |
 |  |  | |
| Mohammed Bah Abba invented a refrigeration device that is not dependent on electricity. | Neil A. Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. | Nikola Tesla was the father of many modern inventions. | Norman Borlaug saved billions of lives with his agricultural discoveries. |
 |  | |  |
| Orville and Wilbur Wright were brothers determined to build a better flying machine. | Patrick Nagatani uses photography and colored lights to promote good health. | Paul Farmer has dedicated his life to treating people in the poorest nations in the world | Paul Munsen Solar Oven Man manufactures sun ovens, which harness the sun's rays to provide an environmentally safe source of energy. |
 |  |  |  |
| Paul Sipiera led an expedition into Antarctica to find meteorites for NASA. | Percy Julian was a groundbreaking African American chemist, inventor, and trailblazer. | Philo T. Farnsworth was the inventor of the television. | Ramani Sankaranarayanan and Geeta Vaidyanathan founded CTxGrEn to show villagers how to turn native materials into fuel for electricity. |
 |  |  |  |
| Ray Kurzweil is an inventor who uses technology to restore health. | Reef Ball Foundation restores damaged coral reef systems around the world. | Richard Feynman shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for work in the field of quantum electrodynamics. | Robert Koch was an important medical researcher of the 19th century. |
 |  |  |  |
| Rokhaya Gueye treats malaria and raises awareness about women's health issues in Senegal. | Saeed Awan developed a new carpet loom that reduces child labor in Pakistan. | Sandra Begay-Campbell is a Native American engineer who brings solar-powered energy to the Navajo reservation. | Shannon Hackett studies the genetic diversity and evolution in tropical birds. |
 |  |  |  |
| Sir Alexander Fleming saved millions of lives with his discovery of penicillin. | Srinivasa Ramanujan made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics. | Stephanie Jenouvrier is a population ecologist researching the effects of climate change on emperor penguins. | Stephen Hawking is a renowned theoretical physicist who writes about 'black holes'. |
 |  |  |  |
| Tania Ruiz is an astrophysicist committed to science education and helping women reach their goals. | Thais Corral gives women a voice in their communities through access to communication technology. | Therese Koutnik is an inspiration to her sister and a role model for girls who would like to become engineers. | Thomas Alva Edison holds the record for number of patents filed. |
 |  |  |  |
| Thomas Alva Edison is considered one of the world's greatest inventors. | Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. | Tom Chau Biomedical Engineer uses science and technology to maximize opportunities for people with disabilities. | Tom Dibblee is a legendary geologic mapper. |
 |  |  |  |
| Usha Varanasi is the first woman to lead a Fisheries Science Center. | Vint Cerf , Internet pioneer, passionately believes that all people should benefit from the information revolution. | Vladimir Kosma Zworykin is called 'The Father of Television'. | Wes Jackson was a professor who returned to the land to advance sustainable agriculture practices. |
 |  |  | |
| Wilson Bentley was the first person to photograph a single snowflake. | XIV Argonauts broadcasted their explorations of the Channel Islands. | Zohra Ben Lakhdar is a physicist from Africa who does research on atomic spectroscopy. |
Last changed on:9/2/2005 3:43:24 PM
|
