Jane Cooke Wright

Jane C Wright was a physician and surgeon who helped make chemotherapy the prominent cancer treatment it is today. Her work related to our human body unit and cell unit in 7th grade science.

Birth

November 30, 1919 in Manhattan, New York City, NY.

Family

• Father, Louis Wright, was also a prominent black surgeon.
• Mother, Corinne Cooke, was a teacher.
• Had one sister.
• Married to David Jones Jr. and had two daughters.

Education

Wright went to Smith College, then got a scholarship to New York Medical College. She did her internship at Bellevue Hospital and residency at Harlem Hospital.

Jobs

• Physician at Harlem Hospital
• Head of Cancer Research Foundation
• Professor at NYU
• Director of chemotherapy research at NYU Medical Center
• Professor of surgery, head of Chemotherapy department, and associate dean of New York Medical College
• President of New York Cancer Society
• Founder of American Society of Clinical Oncology

Awards/recognitions

• Links Lecture Award (1965)
• American Association for Cancer Research Award (1975)
• Named award: "Jane C. Wright, MD, Young Investigator Award" (2011)

Interesting facts

1. Wright originally wanted to pursue a degree in art, but was convinced by her father to change to medicine.
2. In the 1940s, when Wright was doing the most research on chemotherapy, it was a last resort, not one of the main treatments for cancer.
3. Wright and her father worked together at Harlem Hospital on developing chemotherapy for several years.

Quote

"I know I'm a member of two minority groups, but I don't think of myself that way." -Jane C Wright

Death

Died on February 19, 2013 at age 93 in Guttenberg, NJ, due to dementia.