In honor of the close of black history month along with heart month, we decided to share a special blog about black heart heros. You may have never heard of Vivien Thomas nor Daniel Williams; of course, we hadn’t before finding out more about our heart warrior. Do a little google search to check them out.
Vivien Theodore Thomas, MD (1910-1985)
Though Thomas did not have education beyond high school and worked for many years as a carpenter, he became a surgical technician later in life. In 1944, he helped develop the surgical technique to correct “blue baby syndrome” (Tetralogy of Fallot) with Dr. Helen Taussig and Dr. Alfred Blalock at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He went on to teach operative techniques to some of the most prominent surgeons in the U.S, even becoming the subject of a 2004 film “Something the Lord Made.” The African American Heart Hero Behind the BTThomas Shunt
Daniel Hale Williams, MD (1856-1931)
Daniel Hale Williams pursued a pioneering career in medicine. An African American doctor, in 1891, Williams opened Provident Hospital, the first medical facility to have an interracial staff. He was also one of the first physicians to successfully complete pericardial surgery on a patient. Williams later became chief surgeon of the Freedmen’s Hospital.
Check out this quick video of clips from Frank's surgery day.
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