Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas

Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas by Gwendolyn Hooks is a biographical picture book that tells the story of Vivien Thomas, an African American man who became a pioneer in the field of cardiac surgery. The book follows Thomas's journey from his childhood in the segregated South to his groundbreaking work in the operating room, where he developed a new surgical technique that saved countless lives. The story is told in an engaging and accessible way, with colorful illustrations and a focus on Thomas's determination and perseverance in the face of adversity. The book has also been recognized with a NAACP Image Award. Vivien Thomas's greatest dream was to attend college to study medicine, but the 1929 stock market crash caused him to lose all his savings. He then took a job at Vanderbilt University medical school under the supervision of Dr. Alfred Blalock. As Dr. Blalock's research assistant, Vivien learned surgical techniques and in 1943, he was asked to help Dr. Helen Taussig find a cure for children with a specific heart defect. After months of experimenting, Vivien developed a procedure that was used for the first successful open-heart surgery on a child. Despite his contributions, Vivien's name did not appear in the report announcing the new surgical technique, known as the Blalock-Taussig shunt. Overcoming racism and resistance from his colleagues, Vivien ushered in a new era of medicine in children's heart surgery.