Tony Hansberry II, a 14-year-old, African-American high school freshman, has developed a surgical stitching technique that can ease post-surgery complications and lessen the chance of errors among physicians, Black America Web reports.


Tony Hansberry has been working with Bruce Nappi, the administrative director at the University of Florida's Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research, on a new technique for sewing up hysterectomy patients. "I've always had a passion for medicine," he told reporter Jackie Jones in a recent interview. "The project I did was, basically, the comparison of novel laparoscopic instruments in doing a hysterectomy repair.”

The youth presented his findings in April at a medical conference at the University of Florida before an audience of doctors and board-certified surgeons.

"I just want to help people and be respected, knowing that I can save lives," said Hansberry, who attends Darnell-Cookman, a special medical magnet school that allows him to take advanced classes in medicine. He hopes to become a neurosurgeon some day.

One of his teachers at Darnell-Cookman Angela TenBroeck said, "He's an outstanding young man, and I'm proud to have him representing us."

Hansberry was an intern at the University of Florida's Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville when he came up with the concept. At the time, he was responding to a challenge to improve on an “endo-stitch” procedure used in hysterectomies.

“It took me a day or two to come up with the concept,” Hansberry said. His discovery earned him second place at the regional science fair in February 2009.
Tony's mom is a nurse and his dad pastors an African Methodist Episcopal

'Hansberry Stitch'

It's nice to hear the positive things youth are doing today. Too much light in the media is given to the ones that do nothing but cause trouble in other people's lives. Also, with the peer pressure on kids his age these days, trying to prove themselves to their peers, it's great that you can still find stories on acccomplishments of those that don't let other steer them away from doing the right thing.

2elijah said:

I think if more and more people would switch their interest and focus ( media included ) onto the positives that youths do ... the world would be a much better place

we make it hip and noteworthy to be "bad" - focusing the majority of the attention to that therefore more do bad things to get the attent"eions

we should really REALLY flip that midset around

Mach said:

Good point. I was thinking about that the other day when I turned on the news. It's like the media craves for negativity, bad news, topics that cause fear, etc., even cable stations are to blame. Not to mention...what's up with all the crime shows?? CSI, Law & Order, The Closer, Criminal Minds, etc, Look at the stupid reality shows? U.S. Media's focus is not about creating programs geared towards positivity. It's adults creating many of these reality shows that put so much "peer" pressure on our youth.

Amazing When other kids are wasting their youth, this one is seizing it

2elijah said:

Yeah, the media does, but their consumers do too.

Eh, big deal. At 14, I was cussing.

MuthaFunka said:

nice

Is his race important to the story?

Genesia said:

Resilience despite the perpetuated stereotypes?

that's an honest guess, i don't know

it's relevant to me, not really having that kind of support as a black kid growing up, it's inspiring, and it's nice to know it's out there and available for the youngin's in my family today....
[Edited 6/18/09 13:49pm]

It would just be nice if we could get to a point in our world where an achievement like this by a 14-year-old - any 14-year-old - could be lauded without modifiers.

Is his race important to the story?

sammij said:

I understand and appreciate what you're saying.

It would just be nice if we could get to a point in our world where an achievement like this by a 14-year-old - any 14-year-old - could be lauded without modifiers.

It'd pretty amazing (and inspirational) if a white kid did it, too.