Jeane Porter Hester

Jeane Porter Hester (June 15, 1929 – December 24, 2018) was an American physician known for her work in cancer research and therapy. She was a Professor of Medicine, Chief of Supportive Therapy, and Chief of Leukapheresis at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and was one of the developers of IBM 2997, the computerized blood cell separator. She was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1987.

Early life Jeane Porter was born on June 15, 1929, in Big Spring, Texas. She grew up in Chickasha, Oklahoma.

Medical career After graduating, she worked for a medical doctor in Chickasha and then as a secretary for an ophthalmologist in Oklahoma City, Dr. Welborn Sanger.

Treatment of the former Shah of Iran After the former Shah travelled to Panama in 1979, Dr. Jeane Hester was engaged to help treat his cancer and convinced IBM to supply an IBM 2991 blood cell washer and an IBM 2997 blood cell separator to support this. IBM sent an engineer named Pete Greco to install the machines, but on arrival at Gorgas Hospital he found the 2997 was missing a pump mounting pin. After Hester and Greco tried to repair the machine without it, Greco had to fly back to Miami to get the required part. While they then succeeded in getting the machine working, the surgery was postponed following a dispute between the American and Panamanian medical teams over who would control the operation. This was not resolved and the former Shah later left for Egypt.

Personal life and death Jeane Porter married Bob Hester in 1951, and their son Steven was born in 1953.

Awards Hester was a member of the Oklahoma College for Women Hall of Fame, the Texas Women's Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.