Buffalo was the eighth-largest city in the United States when it was selected as the site of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The “World’s Fair” was organized to promote commerce and showcase the cultures and achievements of countries in the Western Hemisphere.
History
One day in 1955, Dr. James Grace’s two-year-old son, Jimmy, spiked a fever of 105°. It was the first sign that the little boy had acute leukemia — a fast-moving disease that in those days had no hope of a cure. When his son died only a few months later, Dr. Grace converted his pain to passion.
Late in 2015, Roswell Park and the Western New York nursing community lost a true pioneer. Eva Noles, the first African American woman to train and graduate as a registered nurse in Buffalo, died on December 2, 2015 at the age of 96.
Learn how the vision of one remarkable man led to the creation of the first institution in the world to focus exclusively on cancer.
As we conclude Black History Month, we look at some of the major achievements in medicine by highlighting five African Americans who made their mark in cancer research. These individuals were among the first of their ethnic group to make significant contributions to the medical field and helped pave the way for others. Read about these hardworking visionaries that changed the face of cancer for countless patients throughout the world.