Alfred Blalock, a self-assured cardiologist, leaves Vanderbilt for Johns Hopkins, bringing his lab technician Vivien Thomas, a talented mechanic and tool-maker with exceptional surgical skills, despite being an African-American without a college degree. Together, they tackle the challenge of blue babies, inventing bypass surgery in 1941. After successful dog trials, they operate on baby Eileen, who is sure to die without the surgery. In defiance of custom and racial segregation, Blalock includes Thomas in the surgery, but when fame and recognition come from Life Magazine, Thomas is overlooked. The story raises questions about whether he will receive the recognition he deserves.
Something the Lord Made
The movie tells the story of the groundbreaking collaboration between Dr. Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas, two pioneering heart surgeons who transformed the medical field.
