Maurice Hilleman was a scientist. He studied microbiology, single cell organisms that cause infectious diseases, like COVID. He also created vaccines to protect children. He was credited with creating vaccines for 9 common childhood diseases and saving around 8 million people EVERY YEAR. Many think he was the most important scientist in medicine in the 20th Century. And behind his achievements is an interesting character, a personal story.
Use this story to talk about disease and ways that we protect ourselves from disease, including hand washing, wearing masks, social distancing and getting vaccinated.
This is also a good story about doctors and scientists. It reminds us that they are human beings too: they were once children, they had children of their own, and they are often motivated by curiosity and the desire to help others. You can use this story to talk about why we can trust vaccines to be both safe and effective against serious infectious disease. And it's also a good reminder of the impact of this work. Some historians believe that Dr. Hilleman was personally responsible for adding TEN YEARS to the life expectancy of Americans in the 20th Century.
