Dr.BenjaminCarsonKeynoteAddressEmoryUniversity’s167thCommencementMay14,2012

Thankyouverymuch.ItisindeedanhonortobehereatEmoryUniversity,andcongratulationstothegraduatesandtheirfamiliesonthisgreatmilestone.IhavealotofconnectionswithEmoryandknowalotofpeoplewhohavecomefromEmorytoHopkinsandviceversa.

Dr.MikeJohnswastheonewhogotmestarteddoingcomplexcraniofacialsurgery.ThelateDr.FrayMarshall,whenhewasanassistantprofessorandIwasanintern,guidedmethroughsomeofmyveryfirstoperations.WehavewonderfulstudentswhohavecomefromBaltimore,likeAllisonDaniels,whoisgraduatingheretoday,andjustahostofamazingpeoplethatweknowwhoarehereatEmory.

Letmejust–attheoutset–saythatIknowtherewassomecontroversyaboutmyviewsoncreationandsomebodythoughtthatIsaidthatevolutionistsarenotethicalpeople.OfcourseIwouldneversaysuchathingandwouldneverbelievesuchathing,norwouldanybodywithanycommonsense.So,youknow,that’sprettyridiculous.

Atanyrate,enoughsaidaboutthat.

I,asayoungster,wasincrediblyinterestedinmedicine.Itwasreallytheonlythingthatkindofgrabbedmyfancy,andiftherewasanythingontelevisionortheradioaboutmedicine,Iwasrighttherelikeamagnet.Ievenlikedgoingtothedoctor’soffice,sothatgivesyousomeideaofwhatIwaslike.

Goingtothehospitalwasmyfavoritethingintheworld!Mostpeoplethatgotothehospitalandhavetowaitforafewhours,theygetallhuffyandsay,“Mytimeisimportanttoo.”Butnotme.Iwouldsitoutthereinthehallway,andwewouldhavetowaitforoneoftheinternsorresidentstoseeus,becausewewereonmedicalassistance,butIdidn’tcarebecauseIwaslisteningtothePAsystem.

“Dr.Jones,Dr.Jones,totheemergencyroom.”“Dr.Johnson,totheclinic.”Theysoundedsoimportant,andIwouldbesittingthere,thinking,“Oneday,they’llbesayingDr.Carson,Dr.Carson.”Butofcoursenowadays,wehavebeepers,soIstilldon’tgettohearit.

Butitwasthedream.Andsometimes,thatdreamisreallytheonlythingthatpushesyouthroughthevery,verydifficulttimes.Butsometimesdreamscanbe…bad.Andsomeofyoumayremember,somesummersago,thecaseoftheBijanitwins,the29‐year‐oldIranianwomenwhowereconjoinedatthehead.Theirlonglifedreamwastobeseparated.

Theyscouredtheworld,lookingforateamthatmightbewillingtotakeonthatenormousrisk.WhenIwasfirstcontactedbythem,ItoldthemaboutChangandEngBunker,theoriginalSiamesetwinswholivedtobe63yearsoldandnevergotseparated.Theydidn’twanttohearthat.

SotheyfinallyendedupwithateaminSingaporethathadhadsomesuccessseparatingcraniopagustwinsbefore,ateamIwasfamiliarwithandhadworkedwithbefore.Andsomehow,theymanagedtoconvincemetojointhem,againstmybetterjudgment.ButImustsay,whenImetthoseyoungladies,Iwasdulyimpressed.Theywerevivacious.TheyhadlearnedtospeakEnglishinonlysevenmonths.Incrediblyintelligent.Theybothhadcollegedegrees.

Theybothhadlawdegrees.Onlyonewantedone,buttheybothhadlawdegrees.So,theyhadaverythoroughunderstandingoftheriskthattheywerefacing.

Youknow,theysaidsomethingtomethatreallystruckme.Theysaid,“Doctor,wewouldratherdiethanspendanotherdaystucktogether.”Andthatseemedkindofharsh.ButthenIdidsomethingthatIhighlyrecommendtoeveryonebeforeyoucriticizesomeone.Iputmyselfintheirshoes,andIsaid,“Whatwoulditbeliketobestucktosomebody24/7?”Itcouldbethepersonintheworldyoulikethemost.Howlongwouldyoulikethemfor?AndIbegantounderstandwhatitwasthattheyweregoingthrough.

Andyouknowthatoperationdidgoon.Wewereinthethirddayoftheoperation,wewere90%finished,somepeoplewerestartingtocelebrate.I

wasnotamongthem,becauseaswegottotheveryendoftheoperation,theybegantobleedprofuselyundergreatpressure.Itwasimpossibletostopthehemorrhaging,andtheydied.

Youknow,noteverythingthatwedo,obviously,issuccessful.Thatreallyisthehistoryofsurgery.Thefirstkidneytransplants–disastrous.Hearttransplants,lungtransplants,livertransplants–disastrous.You’dsay,“Whyevenbother?”

Butthingswerelearned,andthataccumulatedknowledgemadeitpossibletobeabletodothosethingsthataresovitallyimportant.ThomasEdisonsaidheknew999waysalightbulbdidnotwork.MostofyouhaveheardofthecleaningFormula409.Whydotheycallitthat?Thefirst408didn’twork.

Youknow,youthinkaboutWalterDandy,theincredibleneurosurgeonatJohnsHopkinsmanydecadesago.Thefirstonetodoallkindsofthings.Firstonetooperateonaposteriorfossa.Peoplesaid,“Youcan’toperatebackthere,thecompartment’stoosmall.Thebrainwillswellandtheywilldie!”

Butheoperatedonsomebodywithalesionoftheposteriorfossa.Theydied.Another,andtheydied.Another,andtheydied.Thefirst13,theyalldied.Canyouimaginehowdiscouragedhemusthavebeen?Ican’tevenimaginewhathesaidtothe14thpatient.Whentheysaid,“Howdidtheother13do?”Heprobablysaid,“Nobody’scomplaining.”

Butthefactofthematteris,hekeptitup,andnowwe’reabletodoposteriorfossaoperationsquitesafelyandquiteroutinely.Andit’samatterofbeingabletolearnfromthingsthatdon’twork,becauseweallgetinvolvedinthem.

Weshouldnotbecomediscouragedbuttakesomethingawayfromit,anditwillnotbeatruefailure.Wecanalsolearnfromotherpeople’smistakes.Andthisissovitallyimportantbecauseyouaregoingouttheretobecomethenextgenerationofleadersinournation.There’sagreatdealthatwecanlearnfromothersocietiesthathavedividedthemselves.

Awisemanoncesaid,“Ahousedividedagainstitselfcannotstand.”Wefindourselvesinasituationwherewehavesuchdivisiveness.Democratshave

somegoodideas;Democratshavesomebadideas.Republicanshavesomegoodideas;Republicanshavesomebadideas.That’swhyI’manIndependent.

Butthefactofthematteris,wehavegottounderstandsomething.Thesymbolofournation–thebaldeagle.Andwhenyouseeaneagleflying,whatdoyounoticeaboutit?Ithastwowings.Aleftwingandarightwing.Ifit’sbothleftwings,itcrashes.Ifit’sbothrightwings,itcrashes.Butwhentheyworktogether,itisabletoflyhighandstraight.Andthereissomethingweneedtolearnaboutthat,whichwillbeincrediblyimportanttous.

Ithinktheotherthingthatthreatenstheprosperityandthevitalityofournationispoliticalcorrectness.Manypeoplecametothisnation,andtheyweretryingtoescapefromsocietiesthattrytotellthemwhattheycouldsayandwhattheycouldthink.Andherewecome,re‐introducingitthroughthebackdoor.

Andweneedtorememberthatitisnotimportantthatweallthinkthesamething.Andtheemphasisshouldnotbeonussayingthesamething;theemphasisshouldbeonuslearningtoberespectfulofindividualswhohaveadifferentopinion.That’soneofthethingsthatmadeAmericagreat:theabilitytoengageindialogue.

AndI’vealwayssaid,“Iftwopeoplethinkthesamethingabouteverything,oneofthemisn’tnecessary.”Weneedtobeabletounderstandthatifwe’regoingtomakerealprogress.

Therewasatimeinthehistoryoftheworldwhentherewasgreatintoleranceforanybodywhothoughtdifferentlythanthemainstream.ItwascalledtheDarkAges.Therearesomethingsthatcanbelearned,eveninplacesandinsocietieswherewethinkweknoweverything.Becauseifyoulookoverthecourseoftime,youwillfindamigrationofwhatisthoughttobethetruth.Andofweallengageinappropriateintellectualdiscussion,Ithinkwewillgettheremuchfaster.

Ithinktheotherthingthatissoimportantforoursuccessispersistence.Understandingwhoweare.Whatourvaluesare.Youknow,IrememberwhenIstartedhighschool,Iwasastraight‐Astudent.Hadn’talwaysbeenastraight‐

Astudent;whenIwasingradeschool,Iwasaterriblestudent.Infact,mynicknamewas‘Dummy’.That’swhateverybodycalledme.

Fortunately,Ihadamotherwhobelievedinmewhennobodyelsedid.Shewasalwayssaying,“Benjamin,you’remuchtoobrighttobebringinghomegradeslikethis.”Ibroughtthemhomeanyway,butshewasalwayssayingthat.Andshewasalwaysbeingvery,veryencouraging.

ShecamehomeonedayandturnedofftheT.V.Shesaid,“YouguyscanonlywatchtwoorthreeT.V.programsduringtheweek,andwithallyoursparetime,youhavetoreadtwobooksapiecefromtheDetroitPublicLibraryandsubmittomewrittenbookreports.”Whichshecouldn’tread,butwedidn’tknowthat.She’dputlittlecheckmarksandhighlightsandunderlines.Ireallydespisedit;Ididn’twanttodoit.

Everybodyelsewasoutsideplayingandhavingagoodtime,andthereIwasinthehousereadingbooks.Aninterestingthinghappened,though.Iactuallybegantoenjoyreadingthosebooks.Weweredesperatelypoor,butbetweenthecoversofthosebooks,Icouldgoanyplace,Icouldbeanybody,Icoulddoanything.Ibegantoknowthingsthatnobodyelseknew.

Withinthespaceofayearandahalf,Iwentfromthebottomoftheclasstothetopoftheclass,muchtotheconsternationofallthosepeoplewhousedtolaughandcallme‘Dummy’.Thosewhocalledme‘Dummy’inthefifthgradewerecomingtomeintheseventhgrade,“Benny,Benny,howdoyouworkthisproblem?”AndI’dsay,“Sitatmyfeet,youngster,whileIinstructyou.”Iwasperhapsalittleobnoxious,butitsurefeltgoodtosaythattothoseturkeys.

Butyouknow,that’soneofthereasonsmywifeandIhavedevotedsomuchtimetoencouragingyoungpeople:becausewerecognizethatthereisanenormousamountofuntappedintellectualpotentialoutthere,andthatwehavetodoeverythingwecantocultivateit.

Becauseforeveryoneofthoseyoungpeoplearoundthisnationwhowecankeepfromgoingdownthatpathofself‐destruction,that’sonelesspersonwehavetoprotectourselvesandourfamiliesfrom,onelesspersonwehavetopayforinthepenalorthewelfaresystem.Onemoretax‐paying,productive

memberofsocietywhomaydiscoveranewenergysourceorthecureforcancer.Wecannotaffordtothrowanyofthemaway.Theyareallimportantpartsofoursociety.

ButasIenteredhighschool,withallofthisintellectualpotential,Iranintoperhapstheworstthingayoungpersoncanruninto.It’scalled‘peers’,negativepeers.P‐E‐E‐R‐S.StandsforPeoplewhoEncourageErrors,RudenessandStupidity.That’sexactlywhattheyweredoing,andIgotcaughtupinthat,andmygradesbegantoplummet.Fortunately,IonlywastedoneyearbeforeIcametomysensesandbegantorecognize,again,thosevaluesandthoseprinciplesthatweregoingtodrivemetowardsuccess.

Buttherewereotherproblems.YouknowwhenIgottomedicalschool,Iwastryingtofitmyselfintosomeoneelse’smold.Onthefirstsetofcomprehensiveexams,Ididterribly.Iwassenttoseemycounselor.Helookedatmyrecordandhesaid,“Youseemlikeaveryintelligentyoungman.Ibettherearealotofthingsyoucoulddo…outsideofmedicine.”

Hetriedtoconvincemetodropoutofmedicalschool.Hesaid,“You’renotcutouttobeadoctor,andit’llbesomucheasierforyouandforeverybodyelseifyoudropout.Wecouldactuallyhelpyougetintoanotherareaoftheuniversitysoyouwillnothavewastedayear.”

Well,youcouldimagine,Iwasdevastated.Iwentbacktomyapartment,andIjustsaid,“Lord,givemewisdom.”Istartedthinking,andIsaid,“Whatkindofcourseshaveyoualwaysdonewellin?Whatkindofcourseshaveyoustruggledin?”AndIrealizedIdidwellincourseswhereIdidalotofreading,andIstruggledatcourseswhereIlistenedtoalotofboringlectures.AndthereIwas,listeningtosixtoeighthoursworthofboringlectureseveryday.SoImadeanexecutivedecisiontoskiptheboringlecturesandtospendthattimereading.Therestofmedicalschoolwasasnapafterthat.

Andsomeyearslater,whenIwentbacktomymedicalschool,asacommencementspeaker,IwaslookingforthatcounselorbecauseIwasgoingtotellhimhewasn’tcutouttobeacounselor.

Therearesomanypeoplewhoarejustnegative,negative,negative,andtheycanalwaysthinkofareasonwhysomethingcan’tbedone,buttheydon’tspendverymuchtimefiguringouthowthingscanbedone.Andbytheway,thoseofyouwhoaregraduatingandgoingontomedicalschool,Iamnotadvocatingskippingyourlectures,okay?WhatIamadvocatingislearninghowyoulearn.Wealllearninadifferentway.Ifwecandothat,itwillhaveaprofoundeffectonhoweffectiveweare.

TheotherthingaboutpersistenceandclingingtoyourbeliefisastoryIwanttoendwith.Becausethisistheyear2012.200yearssincethestartoftheWarof1812.

Andasyouknow,duringtheWarof1812,theBritishhaddecidedthattheseyoungerwhippersnappersinAmericawerenotworthyofindependence.AndthattheyshouldonceagainbecomeaBritishcolony.AndtheywerewinningthatbattleastheymarcheduptheEasternseaboard,conqueringanddestroyingcityaftercity,destroyingWashingtonD.C.,burningdowntheWhiteHouse.

Thenextstop–thelastbastionofdefense–FortMcHenry.BaltimoreHarbor.AndasthatarmadaofBritishbattleshiprolledintotheChesapeakeBay,gunshipsasfarastheeyecouldsee,itwasindeedableakday.

GeneralArmistead,thecommandinggeneralofFortMcHenry,hadhadalargeAmericanflagcommissionedtoflyoverthefort,whichincensedtheBritishadmiral.Hesaid,“That’soffensivetous.Takethatflagdown,orwewillbeginthebombardmentofyourfort,andwewillcontinuethebombardmentuntilthatflagisreduced.Itwillbecomeapileofrubble.”

AboardthatshipwasayoungamateurAmericanpoetbythenameofFrancisScottKey,andhehadoverheardtheBritishplans.HewasonboardonamissionfromPresidentMadisontotrytogainthereleaseofanAmericanphysicianwhowasbeingheldcaptive.

Theywerenotgoingtolethimofftheship,sincehehadoverheardtheplans.Andheknewthatthatevening,thebombardmentwouldstart.Hemournedas

hethoughtabouthisfledglingyoungnationabouttobecomeacolonyonceagain.

Andthatbombardmentstartedasthesunwentdown.Bombsandmissilesburstingintheair,itlookedliketheFourthofJulycelebration.Therewassomuchdustanddebris,hestrainedhiseyestotrytocatchaglimpseoftheforttoseeiftheflagwasstillflying,andcouldseenothing.Allnightlongitcontinued.

Atthecrackofdawn,firstthing,hewasoutattherailing,looking,tryingtoseethroughthedebris,butitwastoothick.Ashehunghishead,therewasaclearinginthedebris.Andhesawthemostbeautifulsighthehadeverseen.Thestarsandthestripes,stillwaving.

Thatwasthebeginning,manyhistorianssay,oftheturningofthetideoftheWarof1812.Andwewentontowinthatwarandtodefendtheprinciplesoffreedomthatwebelievein.AndifyouhadgonetoFortMcHenrythatday,youwouldhaveseenonthegroundthebodiesofnumerousAmericansoldierswhotookturnsholdingupthatflag.Theywouldnotletthatflagdown.Theepitomeofpersistence,whichiswhatwemustbelieve,andthatwillleadustosuccess.

Andwhatistruesuccess?In1997,IwasaskedtocometoSouthAfricatoheadateaminanattempttoseparateTypeIIverticalcraniopagustwins.Siamesetwins,joinedatthetopofthehead,facinginoppositedirections.Iknewitwasgoingtobeagreatchallenge.Therehadbeen13attemptstoseparatesuchtwinsbefore,noneofwhichhadbeensuccessful.

Butitwasalsogoingtobeagreatsocialchallenge,becauseitwasgoingtobedoneatthemedicaluniversityinSouthAfrica,Medunsa,theonlymajorblackteachinghospitalinSouthAfrica.AlwaysthestepchildthroughAparthieldandinthepost‐Aparthieldperiod.Thiswasgoingtobetheirchancetostandshoulder‐to‐shoulderwithCapetown,Johannesburgandalltheothergreatuniversities.

AndIwasn’treadyforallthatsocialpressure.Iprayedforwisdom,andIlookedatalltheinformationwehad.Theangiograms,theMRIs,theCATscans.

Iusedour3Dworkbenchtoputallthattogetherintoa3‐dimensionalimage,putonthegoggles,studiedthevascularsystem.

Irecognizedthatthecommondrainagesystemwasnarrowercentrallythanitwasperipherally,andthetraditionalneurosurgicalliteraturesaidthatinsuchasituation,youshoulddecidewhichtwintogivethedrainagesystemto,anddividethemoverthecourseofthreeorfouroperations,separatedintimebyweeksormonthssothattheycoulddevelopcollateralcirculation.

ButIfeltimpressedthatifweconcentratedontheareawherethingswerenarrowingdown,thattheywoulddevelopcollateralsimmediately,andwecoulddoitinoneoperation.WhenIexplainedthattotheteam,theysaid,“You’retheboss,we’lldowhateveryouwant.”AndIremembergoingtothatoperatingroomtwodaysbeforeNewYear’sof’98,bigsignovertheORthatsaid‘GodblessJosephandLukaBanda’.Iwasthrilled,andIsaid,“Bringinastereosystemsowecanplayinspirationalmusic.”

19hoursintothatoperation,wewereonlythree‐quartersofthewayfinished.Thepartthatremainedwassocomplex,thebloodvesselswereengorged,theywereadhesed,theywereentangled,itlookedimpossible.Westoppedtheoperation.

Wetalkedaboutit,andIsuggestedmaybewecouldcoverthatareaoverwithskin,andwecouldcomebackinseveralmonthsandtheywouldhavedevelopedenoughcollateralthatwecouldthencutthroughthatarea.ThedoctorsfromSouthAfricaandfromZambiasaid,“That’sagreatidea,butwedon’thavetheabilitytokeeppartiallyseparatedtwinsalive.They’lldie.”

NowIreallyfelttheweightoftheworldonmyshoulders,andIwentbackinthere.Ididn’thaveallmyfancyequipmentthatIhadatHopkins.Ihadmyscalpel,myloops,aprayeronmylips.IwentinthereandIstartedcuttingbetweenthosevesselsthatweresothin,youcouldseetheanestheticbubblescoursingthrough,justdaringyoutomakeanickinthem.

Makealongstoryshort,whenImadethelastcutthatseparatedthosetwins,overthestereosystemcametheHallelujahchorus.Everybodyhad

goosebumps.Andwhenwefinishedthatoperationafter28hours,oneofthetwinspoppedhiseyesopen,reachedupfortheendotrachealtube.

WhenwegottotheICU,theotheronedidthesamething.Withintwodays,theywereextubated.Within3days,theywereeating.Within2weeks,theywerecrawling.Andthismonth,theywillbegraduatingfromthe9thgrade.

Butthatwasnotthesuccess.Thesuccessyouhadtobetheretowitnesswasthereactionofthepeople.Thiswasdoneintheircountryandintheirhospital.Theywereliterallydancinginthestreet,theirlevelofself‐esteemwassohigh.Andthat’swhattruesuccessisallabout.Itisusingthetalentthatyouhavetoelevateotherpeople.Thankyou,congratulations,God’speace.

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