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Patricia Bath

With a father that was an immigrant from Trinidad, and a mother who was a descendant of African slaves and Cherokee Native Americans, Bath was inspired at a young age to explore a variety of different cultures and outlooks. After her schooling ended in 1960, at the age of 18 she worked with a team and discovered a mathematical equation that could be used to predict cancer cell growth. More than twenty years later, after a colorful life full of scientific achievements, she developed the “laserphaco probe” which was a medical device that can dissolve and remove cataract lenses, one of the most common uses for laser eye surgery in the world. She passed away on May 30th, 2019. The laserphaco probe is still used today.

Inspiration: Though neither of her parents had a background in science, they both encouraged her when she was a child to explore her wants. Her mother bought Bath her first chemistry set.

Patricia Bath
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