A D.C. surgeon who is credited with saving many lives through his pioneering work in organ transplant medicine says his story is one of faith and survival. <\/p>\n
Dr. Clive Callender, a transplant surgeon and professor of surgery for Howard University Hospital, was born in New York City in 1936. <\/p>\n
His mother had prayed for another son after two of her sons had passed away. <\/p>\n
\"She got pregnant again and low and behold, twin boys,\" Callender said. <\/p>\n
But within 48 hours, Callender's mother died of complications from delivery, leaving he and his brother in foster care. <\/p>\n
When their father, who worked on a railroad, couldn't care for them, his devoutly religious aunt took them in to raise them with her own family. <\/p>\n
\"I spent most of my early days in church, reading the bible and then ... decided I wanted to be a medical missionary,\" Callender said. <\/p>\n
Hoping to realize his dream, Callender started high school. But at the age of 15 he contracted tuberculosis -- putting his high school education to a grinding halt. <\/p>\n
He spent 18 months in the hospital and said despite that experience, he still wanted to do medicine. <\/p>\n
\"I had the opportunity to see people dying, people living,\" he said. <\/p>\n
Without going to school since entering the hospital, the prospect of medical school appeared dim. <\/p>\n
But Callender stuck with his goal. <\/p>\n
\"It was amazing to me and to the rest of my classmates, when ... I was the first person in the class to get accepted into medical school,\" he said. \"How that miracle took place, I'll never know.\" <\/p>\n
He went on to become a doctor and to make miracles happen for others by becoming a medical missionary and eventually he created the transplant center at Howard University Hospital. <\/p>\n
\"It's amazing how in my life I've had faith and would step out and the ground would be there,\" he said. <\/p>\n
Callender just celebrated his 80th Birthday in November. <\/p>\n
Published at 9:20 PM EST on Feb 10, 2017 | Updated at 9:22 PM EST on Feb 10, 2017 <\/p>\n
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DC Surgeon Says His Journey to Medicine is One of Survival - NBC4 Washington<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A D.C. surgeon who is credited with saving many lives through his pioneering work in organ transplant medicine says his story is one of faith and survival. Continue reading