World-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson, M.D., director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital, will deliver the keynote address "Gifted Hands" on Tuesday, Jan. 19, during Wayne State University's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Luncheon. A native Detroiter, Carson's life was recently chronicled in the original TNT movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.
The program will begin at 11 a.m. at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, located at 3711 Woodward Ave., in Detroit. Tickets for the program only are $10; tickets for the program and a strolling luncheon are $65. A 10-pack of tickets is available for $500. For more details, visit www.govaffairs.wayne.edu, or call (313) 577-0701. Reservations are required and may be made at: www.specialevents.wayne.edu/2010mlktribute.
Net proceeds from this year's event will be donated to select Detroit schools through the "Adopt-A-Classroom" program. Adopt-A-Classroom is a nationally recognized organization that invites the community into classrooms to increase student success by empowering teachers with community partnerships and funds to purchase resources for their classrooms. Last year, Detroit schools received $10,000 from Wayne State's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Luncheon. The Wayne State tribute program includes special recognition for community leaders who exemplify King's goals and philosophy. It also highlights WSU's role as a bridge-building institution that keeps King's vision of racial harmony and community service alive through this powerful speakers' series and fundraiser in Detroit.
"As a youngster growing up in Detroit, I spent a great deal of time at Wayne State University, which solidified my decision to pursue medicine," Carson says. "Wayne State and its School of Medicine are fighting the good fight. Training caring physicians and providing top researchers who shape the future of medicine and combat health disparities, however, is only half the battle; you are confronting health care disparities at the epicenter of urban America, where your efforts can make the greatest difference. The passion of your people reverberates throughout the community. It will make all the difference today, and in the days to come, in tens of thousands of lives."
Carson had a childhood dream of becoming a physician. Growing up in a single-parent home and being challenged by dire poverty, poor grades, a horrible temper and low self-esteem appeared to preclude the realization of that dream until his mother, with only a third-grade education, challenged her son to strive for excellence. Young Ben persevered and today is a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he has directed pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center for more than a quarter of a century. He was the inaugural recipient of a professorship dedicated in his name in May 2008. He is now the Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. and Dr. Evelyn Spiro, R.N. Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery.
Some career highlights include, in 1987, the first and only successful separation of craniopagus ("Siamese") twins joined at the back of the head; the first completely successful separation of type-2 vertical craniopagus twins in 1997 in South Africa; and the first successful placement of an intrauterine shunt for a hydrocephalic twin. Although he has been involved in many newsworthy operations, he feels that every case deserves maximum attention. He is interested in all aspects of pediatric neurosurgery, and has a special interest in trigeminal neuralgia (a severe facial pain condition) in adults.
Carson holds more than 50 honorary doctorate degrees. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans and many other organizations. He is on the board of directors of numerous organizations including Kellogg Co., Costco Wholesale Corp., the Academy of Achievement and is an Emeritus Fellow of the Yale Corp., the governing body of Yale University. He was appointed in 2004 by President George W. Bush to serve on the President's Council on Bioethics.
In 2001, Carson was named by CNN and Time Magazine as one of the nation's 20 foremost physicians and scientists. That same year, he was selected by the Library of Congress as one of 89 "Living Legends" on the occasion of its 200th anniversary. He is also the recipient of the 2006 Spingarn Medal, which is the highest honor bestowed by the NAACP. In February 2008, Carson was presented the Ford's Theatre Lincoln Medal by President George W. Bush. In June 2008, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Carson was recognized in November 2008 by U.S. News & World Report and Harvard's Center for Public Leadership as one of "America's Best Leaders."
Wayne State University is a premier urban research university offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.
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