I didn’t expect removing these three tumors surgically would cure him of his melanoma— I did believe it would give him a year or two before new [ones developed].

Keith Black

Keith was always interested in science. His parents Robert and Lillian Black encouraged his studies. When he was eight years old he dissected a cow heart. Even though segregation was slowly being discontinued there was still racial prejudice. He had to work hard to be able to study; many places were only open for white people. Keith Black went to a middle school where he met an oncologist, a doctor who studies and treats cancer. The doctor helped him get into a program on a fast track to med school. In high school he helped Frederick Cross and Richard Jones. They invented an artificial heart valve. Keith got to perform heart transplants and valve replacements on dogs. Keith wrote a paper on the effects of the heart valve and got honor status in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search.He got accepted into an accelerated medical program and graduated in 6 years. During his studies he got interested in neurology or the study of brain. He got a job in LA in assisting neurosurgery. Keith started working on how to remove tumors from the brain. He made ways to treat them without having surgery. He did very well and his reputation grew. In 1997 Keith got accepted into a position at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He developed another method for treating brain tumors. This method used the bodies own systems to fight it. Keith continues to perform brain surgeries. He does 2-3 times the number of brain surgeries than other doctors. In 2007 he opened the Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Brain Tumor Center.

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