1899-1964

"The story of the landmark 1944 surgical procedure that repaired the heart of a child with blue baby syndrome--lack of blood oxygen caused by a congenital defect. The team that developed the procedure included a cardiologist and a surgeon, but most of the actual work was done by Vivien Thomas, an African American lab assistant who was frequently mistaken for a janitor"--Provided by publisher.

Dramatization of the true story of lab technician Vivien Thomas, a black surgical genius who fought bigotry in the 1940s, as he collaborated with Dr. Alfred Blalock on a pioneering procedure for "blue babies.".

Three brilliant individuals from different backgrounds (a white male surgeon, white female physician, and African American male laboratory technician) combined their unique skills to revolutionize pediatric heart treatment in 1944. The success of the first "blue baby operation" catapulted these trailblazers to fame as pioneers in cardiac surgery. This volume takes readers along as three great minds labor, clash, and cooperate to save children's lives.