Ben Carson
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2008-07-01T17:36:29Z
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{{Refimprove|date=October 2007}}
{{Infobox Person
| name = Benjamin Solomon Carson
| image = Ben Carson.jpg
| image_size = 100
| caption = photograph from the [[United States Census Bureau]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|09|18}}
| birth_place = Detroit Michigan
| occupation = Neurosurgeon
| spouse = Candy Carson
| religion = Seventh-day Adventist
| nationality = United States
}}
'''Benjamin Solomon Carson''' (born [[September 18]], [[1951]]) is a noted American [[neurosurgery|neurosurgeon]]. He became the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at [[Johns Hopkins Hospital]] when he was 33 years old, and was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in 2008.
==Background==
Carson was born in [[inner city]] [[Detroit, Michigan]],<ref>[http://www.drbencarson.com/photo-album-frameset.html Dr. Ben Carson: Growing up.] Retrieved January 23, 2007.</ref> and has one older brother Curtis. His mother Sonya Carson had high expectations for her sons despite her third grade education and the fact that she married at the age of thirteen. Benjamin's parents divorced when he was eight years old.
Carson graduated from Detroit's Southwestern High School with honors, and then attended [[Yale University]] where he earned a degree in Psychology. From there he went to the [[University_of_Michigan_Health_System|University of Michigan Medical School]]. There, his interest shifted from psychology to neurosurgery, and after medical school he went to work at [[Johns Hopkins Hospital]] in [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]]. At age 33, he became the hospital's Director of [[Pediatrics|Pediatric]] [[Neurosurgery]].
In 1987, Carson made medical history with an operation to separate a pair of [[Conjoined twins|Siamese twins]]. The Binder twins were joined at the back of the head. Previous operations of this type had failed, killing both twins or only saving one. After 22 hours of surgery with a staff of seventy on hand, Carson's operation was successful.
In 1997, he went to South Africa where he led a 50-member team in the successful separation of 11-month-old Zambian twin boys, [[Joseph and Luka Banda]], joined at the head. The twins did not share any organs but did share intricate blood vessels which flowed into each child's brain. According to Carson, he had performed surgical rehearsals with a computerized, 3-D virtual workbench that allowed him to visualize artificial reconstructions of the twins' brains. The operation lasted 28 hours before successfully concluding.
In [[2003]], Carson was a member of the surgical team which worked to separate conjoined siblings [[Ladan and Laleh Bijani]]. When they asked why he had performed such a risky surgery, he said that he had heard them say that they would rather die than stay conjoined.
Carson has received numerous honors and awards including more than 40 honorary doctorate degrees. He is a member of the [[American Academy of Achievement]], the [[Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans]], the [[Alpha Omega Alpha|Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society]], and many other prestigious organizations. He sits on many boards including the Board of Directors of [[Kellogg Company]], [[Costco Wholesale Corporation]], Yale Corporation (the governing body of [[Yale University]]), and [[America's Promise]]. He is also the president and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund, which recognizes young people of all backgrounds for exceptional academic and humanitarian accomplishments. Carson did a cameo in the 2003 movie ''[[Stuck on You (2003 film)|Stuck on You]]'' (starring [[Matt Damon]] and [[Greg Kinnear]]) where he dons a surgeon mask to separate the conjoined twins.
Carson was appointed to the [[The President's Council on Bioethics|President's Council on Bioethics]] by [[George W. Bush]] in 2004.
In addition to being a surgeon, Carson is also a writer who has authored three bestsellers: ''Gifted Hands'', ''The Big Picture'', and ''Think Big''. The first book is an autobiography, and the latter two are about his personal philosophies of success that incorporate hard work and a faith in God. Carson is a [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]], and an outspoken [[evangelical Christian]]. In 2007, Carson spoke at [[Indiana Wesleyan University]], received an honorary doctorate of humanities degree, and was inducted into IWU's ''Society of World Changers''<ref>[http://www.indwes.edu/news/2008/Tony-Dungy-honored.htm News and Events<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
Carson has been married to Candy Carson for twenty-five years and has three sons. He also has two schools named after him, Benjamin S. Carson Honors Preparatory Middle School. Dr. Benjamin Carson Academy Of Science: Located in Milwaukee,Wisconsin.
For the 2006 PBS program ''[[African American Lives]]'', Carson, along with other notable African Americans such as [[Oprah Winfrey]] and comedian [[Chris Tucker]], had his [[Genetic fingerprinting|DNA tested]] to discover his original African ancestry. The genetic test determined that some of his ancestors may have originated from the [[Lunda language|Lunda]] ethnic group, who are currently located in [[Angola]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]], and [[Zambia]].
Dr. Carson has also had success with [[Trigeminal neuralgia]]. Using [[Radio frequency]] and Glycerine Rhizotomy he has saved many lives from this painful disease noted as "the suicide disease" due to the level of pain.
On [[May 30]], [[2008]], Dr. Carson spoke to hundreds of students, coaches, and parents at the 24th Annual National Science Olympiad Competition at the George Washington University in Washington D.C., where he delivered the Keynote address. Dr. Carson's speech was both inspirational and enlightening and marked a momentous beginning and an excellent segue to the events of the weekend, where aspiring young scientists from all over the United States competed in events covering all disciplines of science and engineering. He spoke about his childhood, and how he was inspired to work hard and become successful.
On [[June 19]], [[2008]], President [[George W. Bush]] presented Dr. Carson with the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], the United States' highest civilian honor, for his work as a surgeon and for his efforts to improve the lives of America's youth.<ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080619-9.html]</ref>
==Publications==
{{wikiquote}}
*Carson, Benjamin S., M.D. (2008). "Take The Risk", Zondervan Publishing Co. ISBN 0-310-25973-8
*Carson, Benjamin S., M.D. (2000). "The Big Picture", Zondervan Publishing Co. ISBN 0-310-23834-X
*Carson, Benjamin S., M.D. (1996). "Think Big", Zondervan Publishing Co. ISBN 0-310-21459-9
*Carson, Benjamin S., M.D. (1996). "Gifted Hands", Zondervan Publishing Co. ISBN 0-310-21469-6
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www2.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/carson/Dr.%20Carson.html http://www2.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/carson/Dr.%20Carson.html]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carson, Ben}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:African Americans]]
[[Category:American physicians]]
[[Category:Johns Hopkins University faculty]]
[[Category:Kellogg Company]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Neurosurgeons]]
[[Category:People from Detroit, Michigan]]
[[Category:Seventh-day Adventists in health science]]
[[Category:University of Michigan alumni]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]
[[Category:American Seventh-day Adventists]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients]]
[[bg:Бен Карсън]]
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