A surgeon who dedicated her life to helping polio patients has died. Jacquelin Perry died earlier this week at the age of 94. The Los Angeles Times shared the details on March 14.
Though it is said that Dr. Jacquelin Perry died of Parkinson's disease, she still was practicing medicine until last week. She passed at her home in Downey, Calif. She is known for helping paralyzed polio survivors by performing spinal surgeries on them, beginning in the 1950s. As a result, she became a leading authority on post-polio syndrome.
The groundbreaking orthopedic surgeon was the 1959 Woman of the Year in science, and she spent her entire professional life dedicated to making a difference to those who needed her help. Despite her hard work, she told The Times in 1999 that “As far as I'm concerned, I've never worked.” Instead, “I do what I like to do.”
Dr. Jacquelin Perry dies leaving no immediate survivors, as she never married or had children. She certainly leaves behind an admirable legacy of impactful work, however, that will serve to make a difference for many in the years to come.
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