Leana S. Wen

“After eight years of fighting, and multiple rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, my mother lost her battle with cancer. I think about her every day. I miss her terribly, and wish she were there to walk me down the aisle at my wedding and to cheer when my sister received her college diploma.”

“Public health relies on public trust. Admitting mistakes and explaining prompt corrective actions engender that trust.”

“Asking for help doesn't mean your doctor is incompetent; rather, it should increase your faith in his or her abilities and humility.”

“Working with the psychiatrist and then a mental health counselor helped me understand my own thought distortions.”

“When I finally addressed my stuttering - I was almost through with medical school by the time that I finally sought therapy for speech - one of the exercises was making sure that we say what we want to say and not substitute words.”

“In order to improve maternal health, we have to focus on improving all women's health and access to care - not just during labor and delivery, but before and after pregnancy, and throughout our lives.”

“Abortions that occur late in pregnancy are often due to extreme, extenuating circumstances such as when a woman's life is in danger, when there has been a severe fetal diagnosis, or when the pregnancy is not viable.”

“Politicians should not be making personal medical decisions for other people.”

“Violence can be understood as a public health issue: It spreads from person to person and it can be prevented and treated.”

“What needs to happen in a public health crisis? The federal government must establish a national roadmap with clear goals and evidence-based policy guidance.”

“Public health depends on winning over hearts and minds. It's not enough to just have a good policy, you have to convince people to actually follow it.”

“Constant reevaluation is the bedrock of any emergency response.”

“Paid sick leave is a public health necessity. Not only does it allow employees to seek medical care promptly and appropriately, it reduces the chance of spreading infectious diseases to others and enables caregivers to provide for their loved ones.”

“My parents and I entered the U.S. legally, but when it was time for our visa extension, we were turned down. Returning to China meant imprisonment for my father and persecution for my family. We were days from being forced to live here illegally when we were granted political asylum. Other families are not so lucky.”

“A covid-19 patient who experiences a substantial drop in oxygen saturation is unstable. It was correct to transfer him to the hospital to watch for signs of deterioration in case he needs further respiratory support.”

“I once treated a 24-year-old construction worker who had scraped his leg but could not afford to take off work. By the time I saw him, the small wound that developed had become a severe infection. He remained in the hospital for days and eventually had to have his lower leg amputated.”

“Public health works by using evidence to lessen harm.”

“Without access to quality, affordable reproductive health services - which are standard medical care - women will die because they are forced to forego the necessary prevention and treatment for cervical cancer.”

“Driving is an activity that carries risk, which can be reduced by following the speed limit and wearing a seat belt.”

“My mother cleaned hotel rooms and worked in a video store. My father delivered newspapers and washed dishes in restaurants.”