Born: 1965 (Los Angeles, California)
Biography:
Andrea A. Hayes-Jordan Dixon (born 1965) is an American surgeon who has made significant contributions in the field of pediatric surgery. She is known for being the first pediatric surgeon to perform a high-risk, life-saving procedure in children with a rare form of cancer and for developing the first orthotropic xenograft model of metastatic Ewing’s sarcoma. Hayes-Jordan’s groundbreaking work has had a profound impact on the treatment of pediatric cancer and has saved countless lives.
Andrea Hayes-Jordan was born in Los Angeles, California in 1965. She initially pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion at Dartmouth College but later found herself drawn to the medical field. She had an opportunity to work in a leukemia lab at the medical school, which sparked her interest in medicine. Hayes-Jordan then enrolled at Geisel School of Medicine, intending to become a pediatrician. However, her path took an unexpected turn when she was inspired by Dr. Thomas Colacchio to pursue a career in pediatric surgery.
After completing her medical degree, Hayes-Jordan faced numerous challenges in her quest to become a pediatric surgeon. She was rejected three times from hospital training programs, with one surgeon explicitly stating that bringing in the first black woman was deemed too much of a risk for his program. Determined to overcome these obstacles, she sought a training program in Toronto, Canada. In 2002, Hayes-Jordan achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first black, female, board-certified pediatric surgeon in the United States.
Hayes-Jordan began her career working with children with cancer at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She quickly developed a specific focus on abdominal cancer and became a leading expert in the field. One of her most notable contributions came in 2006 when she successfully used hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) on a child with abdominal cancer. This innovative treatment involved removing all tumors and then delivering heated chemotherapy throughout the abdominal cavity, resulting in remarkable outcomes for her patients.
In 2018, Hayes-Jordan was appointed as the Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at the UNC School of Medicine and was named Surgeon-in-Chief at the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. Her expertise and leadership were further recognized when she was appointed by President Donald Trump to sit on the National Cancer Advisory Board, where she advises and assists the National Cancer Institute Director on the activities of the National Cancer Program. In September 2019, Hayes-Jordan was honored with the Byah Thomason Doxey-Sanford Doxey Distinguished Professorship, further highlighting her exceptional contributions to the field of pediatric surgery.
Throughout her career, Hayes-Jordan has continued to be a trailblazer and role model, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations of surgeons. She has made significant contributions to the advancement of pediatric surgery and has saved countless lives through her innovative techniques and dedication to her patients. Her work has not only had a tremendous impact on the field of medicine but has also played a crucial role in women’s history, inspiring future generations of women to pursue careers in surgery and challenge societal norms.
Awards:
– Byah Thomason Doxey-Sanford Doxey Distinguished Professorship (2019)
– Triangle Business Journal 2020 Health Care Heroes recognition
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