Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health
- Downloads：6848
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-07-27 20:21:09
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Leana Wen
- ISBN：B08GJQHZ7L
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Beatriz
，
In a compelling memoir， Dr。 Leana Wen brings the reader into her remarkable life – from her childhood as a political refugee to the U。S。 to her work on the frontlines of our country’s most pressing health crises。 Lifelines is a gripping and vulnerable story about the importance of courageous leadership in public health。 In every chapter， Dr。 Wen reminds us to take bold action and lead with humanity。 A must read！
Gabe Charbonneau
，
In a time when countless physicians feel helpless to overcome the wicked problem of our broken healthcare system， Dr。 Wen's story highlights how even one person with enough "fire in the belly" to fight for patients can make a difference。 I appreciated how real she was to share her deeply personal and family struggles。 This book is about surviving trauma and leading the way to turn those experiences into a force of nature for the good of all。 I am so grateful to know Leana， and inspired more and In a time when countless physicians feel helpless to overcome the wicked problem of our broken healthcare system， Dr。 Wen's story highlights how even one person with enough "fire in the belly" to fight for patients can make a difference。 I appreciated how real she was to share her deeply personal and family struggles。 This book is about surviving trauma and leading the way to turn those experiences into a force of nature for the good of all。 I am so grateful to know Leana， and inspired more and more by her every day。 。。。more
Sue Hilger
，
Outstanding - what a compelling read！ I highly recommend this book that takes the reader through the US medical system and the public health issues we face today。 Dr。 Leana Wen begins with her childhood， immigrating to the US， which provides the foundation for her passion for public health。 Her story takes you through her upbringing and drive to succeed， as she overcomes obstacles。 I admire her willingness to openly share personal struggles and lay bare her vulnerability - this honesty makes her Outstanding - what a compelling read！ I highly recommend this book that takes the reader through the US medical system and the public health issues we face today。 Dr。 Leana Wen begins with her childhood， immigrating to the US， which provides the foundation for her passion for public health。 Her story takes you through her upbringing and drive to succeed， as she overcomes obstacles。 I admire her willingness to openly share personal struggles and lay bare her vulnerability - this honesty makes her all the more admirable。 The reader also gets an inside perspective of what occurred during her reign as Baltimore’s Health Commissioner。 She illuminates the problems facing Baltimore and many large US cities and outlines successful programs that she and her team implemented。 While our situation is distressing， this book gives the reader hope。 I found her approach refreshing， and， as a result， the book is a real page turner。 Wish I could have given it more than 5 stars 。。。 yes， that good！ 。。。more
William Borden
，
In times of multiple public health crises， we have all benefited from the leadership， vision， moral clarity， compassion， and strength of Dr。 Leana Wen。 In this captivating memoir， Dr。 Wen shares her deeply personal stories motivating her life of service to the health of others。 Through both tragedies and triumphs， Dr。 Wen channeled her own life experiences into finding and treating the public health root causes of disease including poverty， systemic racism， addiction， misinformation， and lack of In times of multiple public health crises， we have all benefited from the leadership， vision， moral clarity， compassion， and strength of Dr。 Leana Wen。 In this captivating memoir， Dr。 Wen shares her deeply personal stories motivating her life of service to the health of others。 Through both tragedies and triumphs， Dr。 Wen channeled her own life experiences into finding and treating the public health root causes of disease including poverty， systemic racism， addiction， misinformation， and lack of access to care。 This book is a call to action in service， and we all need to answer。 。。。more
James
，
An incredible story。 Very easy to read but at the same time， it packed so many lessons we can all learn from。 The themes of her book resonated strongly with me。 As an Asian American immigrant， I found Dr。 Wen's personal stories growing up to be extremely relatable。 As someone working in health care， I look up to Dr。 Wen's leadership。 She shows what really matters as a public health practitioner and also as a member of a community: empathy， advocacy， and problem solving。 Public health by definiti An incredible story。 Very easy to read but at the same time， it packed so many lessons we can all learn from。 The themes of her book resonated strongly with me。 As an Asian American immigrant， I found Dr。 Wen's personal stories growing up to be extremely relatable。 As someone working in health care， I look up to Dr。 Wen's leadership。 She shows what really matters as a public health practitioner and also as a member of a community: empathy， advocacy， and problem solving。 Public health by definition is public; we all have a role to play。 Here's hoping Dr。 Wen's story can inspire you like it has inspired me。 。。。more
Edward Neufville III
，
Dr。 Leana Wen vividly takes you through her childhood experiences as an immigrant child， her desire to become a doctor， becoming a doctor and her triumphs。 As you read this book， you are pulled into the story and become part of the triumphs， and doubts; but most of all you see and feel what drives Dr。 Wen。 With all of her success and accomplishments， Dr。 Wen has not forgotten her "roots"， the struggle， and still has that spark that ignited the drive to become one of America's foremost voices on Dr。 Leana Wen vividly takes you through her childhood experiences as an immigrant child， her desire to become a doctor， becoming a doctor and her triumphs。 As you read this book， you are pulled into the story and become part of the triumphs， and doubts; but most of all you see and feel what drives Dr。 Wen。 With all of her success and accomplishments， Dr。 Wen has not forgotten her "roots"， the struggle， and still has that spark that ignited the drive to become one of America's foremost voices on public health issues。 。。。more
Stacey Johnson
，
Heartfelt & full of empathy。 Dr。 Wen peels back the layers of public health issues while sharing her life stories。 Her levels of vulnerability in the book make you feel many emotions and she has a unique way of getting you to see different perspective of lives different from your own。 Dr。 Wen's life story is also captivating， if it was ever made into a movie or mini-series， it would be high on my Netflix binge list！ Heartfelt & full of empathy。 Dr。 Wen peels back the layers of public health issues while sharing her life stories。 Her levels of vulnerability in the book make you feel many emotions and she has a unique way of getting you to see different perspective of lives different from your own。 Dr。 Wen's life story is also captivating， if it was ever made into a movie or mini-series， it would be high on my Netflix binge list！ 。。。more
Erin
，
A story from and about an inspiration leader who is passionate about public health。 I was moved by Dr。 Wen’s account of her formative years， gaining a real insight behind the motivations for her work。 A great read， leaving you inspired and asking yourself what more can I do。
LA
，
“Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health” by Dr。 Leana Wen is a personal narrative about Public Health as told by someone who has lived it – as a child newly immigrated to the US from China， as a physician seeing the underserved in some of our busiest emergency departments， as the Baltimore Health Commissioner， as the head of a national healthcare organization， and as a leader-advocate。 I couldn’t stop reading it and learning more about her family， her life and the origins o “Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health” by Dr。 Leana Wen is a personal narrative about Public Health as told by someone who has lived it – as a child newly immigrated to the US from China， as a physician seeing the underserved in some of our busiest emergency departments， as the Baltimore Health Commissioner， as the head of a national healthcare organization， and as a leader-advocate。 I couldn’t stop reading it and learning more about her family， her life and the origins of her “fire in the belly。” “Eating bitter” and the relationship with her parents， especially her mother， moved me to tears。 Understanding her perspective on leadership， how “better is good” and how to measure success was so valuable。 A lot of people would look at her impressive resume and not realize the sacrifices that were made by both her and her family。 Imagine skipping high school not because you wanted to， but because you had to move into the workforce earlier。 People may think that public health is too dry a topic to read at leisure， but the way this is written is a testament to resilience that will engage any reader。 I have never had to fight as hard as Dr。 Wen for anything， but I’m glad that she’s out there in the fight for all of us。 Fitz would have been so proud！Note: I was given an advanced reader copy by the author， but was under no obligation to review the book。 My review is my honest assessment。 。。。more
Marybeth Hays
，
The most amazing stories are those from real life and this book proves it。 Explore and learn about immigration， poverty， the opioid crisis， overcoming enormous obstacles， and the critical need for strengthening public health - all framed by Dr。 Wen’s very personal story。 Her pragmatic and empathetic approach to finding paths forward as a society - informed by her life experience - is a voice we desperately need in these times。 My heart and my brain were both engaged， as yours will be too。
Debra Hickman
，
Pain and suffering can be averted when it comes to healthcare and public health as demonstrated in Dr。 Leana Wen's latest Book "Lifelines - A Doctor's Journey In the Fight for Public Health"。 This book expresses the humane efforts that all providers must shift back to， if we're to survive the current pandemic。 Written by a dynamic physician， my sistah friend and advocate。 I admire and trust Leana for allowing her vulnerabilities to come alive in this book which demonstrates being a professional Pain and suffering can be averted when it comes to healthcare and public health as demonstrated in Dr。 Leana Wen's latest Book "Lifelines - A Doctor's Journey In the Fight for Public Health"。 This book expresses the humane efforts that all providers must shift back to， if we're to survive the current pandemic。 Written by a dynamic physician， my sistah friend and advocate。 I admire and trust Leana for allowing her vulnerabilities to come alive in this book which demonstrates being a professional public health provider does not remove her from the compassionate listening and encouragement of community voices。 Throughout this book we get to experience the boldness it takes to speak for and to others and self at the same time to gain back the community trust。 Lifelines is a must read book for all， it will assist us in better understanding our present needs to prevent our communities from falling further apart。 Lifelines gives hope to the community that their voices matter and it holds policymakers accountable to develop policies that embrace a broader social justice agenda。 。。。more
David
，
A must read。 Educational。 Relevant。 Thoughtful。 Entertaining。 At the end of the read you realize you have been schooled。 Dr。 Wen has educated you about Public Health， "the glue that holds all other parts of society together" and its contemporary relevance。 And you have been entertained。 With humility and grace， Dr。 Wen epotimizes an Elijah axiom， "At the end of the day all you have are your morals and your integrity。" A must read。 Educational。 Relevant。 Thoughtful。 Entertaining。 At the end of the read you realize you have been schooled。 Dr。 Wen has educated you about Public Health， "the glue that holds all other parts of society together" and its contemporary relevance。 And you have been entertained。 With humility and grace， Dr。 Wen epotimizes an Elijah axiom， "At the end of the day all you have are your morals and your integrity。" 。。。more
Mary Miller
，
Leana Wen uses her commanding knowledge of our public health system at every level of government to help non-medical people like myself understand the power of public health to solve fundamental human problems。 She weaves her personal and professional lives together， from her family’s years of struggle as immigrants to the United States through her astounding rise through the medical education system and work experience， to make some critical points。 With the right kind of advocacy， values and p Leana Wen uses her commanding knowledge of our public health system at every level of government to help non-medical people like myself understand the power of public health to solve fundamental human problems。 She weaves her personal and professional lives together， from her family’s years of struggle as immigrants to the United States through her astounding rise through the medical education system and work experience， to make some critical points。 With the right kind of advocacy， values and pragmatism you can accomplish a lot - from finding eyeglasses for children with poor vision to help them learn， to dramatically reducing infant mortality and opioid deaths。 Leana is one of those rare individuals who can put policy into practice quickly and effectively， showing us the potential for good public health measures to reduce health disparities。 This is an engaging read that puts so much together for the reader as we navigate the impact of global pandemic and all the lessons we should be taking from that。 。。。more
Matt Carter
，
This was a fascinating read， moreso given the current public health situation we are in。 Two things struck me （i） how someone coming from background with so few opportunities continually， repeatedly finds the motivation to keep on working harder， pushing but continually seeing the bigger picture and avoiding getting crushed by the politics of it all is something inspirational - if I had a fraction of her drive I'd be a better person and （ii） the parallels with the lack of leadership here in the This was a fascinating read， moreso given the current public health situation we are in。 Two things struck me （i） how someone coming from background with so few opportunities continually， repeatedly finds the motivation to keep on working harder， pushing but continually seeing the bigger picture and avoiding getting crushed by the politics of it all is something inspirational - if I had a fraction of her drive I'd be a better person and （ii） the parallels with the lack of leadership here in the UK， SureStart centres closed for example， lack of support upstream of the dam （to steal some text from this book！） and how public health is so undervalued - perhaps because those who believe they need it least are the privileged decision makers。 A really easy read too for this type of topic/genre， I definitely recommend this， it will open your eyes to the importance of public health。 。。。more
Lydia Morrow
，
When I picked up this book I was apprehensive。 My reading， especially during lock down， has been a form of escapism and I was not sure that I was ready for reality to intrude。 As soon as I read the first chapter， however， I was hooked。 The book it so well written， it is engaging， sad， uplifting and so relatable。 More importantly it tells the story of an amazing woman， who exemplifies what pubic service is， in an extremely open and honest way。 I would thoroughly recommend this book。 Read it to be When I picked up this book I was apprehensive。 My reading， especially during lock down， has been a form of escapism and I was not sure that I was ready for reality to intrude。 As soon as I read the first chapter， however， I was hooked。 The book it so well written， it is engaging， sad， uplifting and so relatable。 More importantly it tells the story of an amazing woman， who exemplifies what pubic service is， in an extremely open and honest way。 I would thoroughly recommend this book。 Read it to be reminded that if there are people like Leana in the world all is not lost！ 。。。more
Ellen Heller
，
Lifelines: A doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public HealthLeana Wen， MD Review: Ellen Heller July 25， 3021Dr。 Leana Wen’s memoir， “Lifelines: A doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health” is an incredible， inspiring story of a brilliant， courageous， and passionate doctor’s quest for saving lives and providing an equitable system for health， housing， food and education of people in need。As she writes，” Public health is a powerful tool for wellness， success， and social justice。 Hunger and s Lifelines: A doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public HealthLeana Wen， MD Review: Ellen Heller July 25， 3021Dr。 Leana Wen’s memoir， “Lifelines: A doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health” is an incredible， inspiring story of a brilliant， courageous， and passionate doctor’s quest for saving lives and providing an equitable system for health， housing， food and education of people in need。As she writes，” Public health is a powerful tool for wellness， success， and social justice。 Hunger and safety， poverty and women’s rights， are all public health issues。” Dr。 Wen’s life’s story reminds us that one person can make a large impact on improving life for others notwithstanding formidable challenges along the way。 As we move through the devastations of a pandemic and political crisis， “Lifelines” provides a motivating and reassuring reason to work together to improve and save lives。The book is really a “tale of two stories”。 The first is of a poor， immigrant child making her way in the world， and the second is of the crucial role of public health in addressing poverty， crime， racism—and， of course， health issues。Dr。 Wen was born in Shanghai， China。 She was raised by her paternal grandparents in a one-room apartment where the kitchen and washroom facilities were shared in a hallway with a dozen families。 For most of her early childhood， her mother lived in a distant city studying for her undergraduate and graduate degrees in English。 Her father was a political dissident whose rebellious activities during the Cultural Revolution led to his being caught， jailed， and abused。 When Leana was 8， her parents left for the United States when her mother was accepted into graduate studies。 The family arrived with only forty American dollars。The book describes the dire circumstances the family had to overcome。 In the 8th grade when Leana was 13 years old’ she passed the Early Entrance Program and entered California State University “with the sole intention of earning a degree and making money to help” her parents。 She was graduated summa cum laude and with the determination to become a doctor。 Two professors encouraged her dream， and ultimately， she was accepted into 13 medical schools。 She accepted Washington University in St。 Louis with a full tuition and living stipend。 Dr。 Wen excelled and became a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School and a Rhodes Scholar。 During that time， as President of the American Medical Student Association （AMSA）， she learned that being a doctor “is also about advocating and fighting for our patients。” She decided on emergency medicine as her specialty as she knew she wanted to work in health policy and “see the problems of our health-care system firsthand。” The book details her early work in international health in Rwanda and winning Nicholas Kristof’s annual “Win-a-Trip” award in 2007。 She also came to recognize that “social determinants of health” like poverty and living conditions play “the “major role， in determining a person’s health and wellbeing。” She “began to see” that if she wanted to be the most effective advocate for her patients， she needed to have formal training in health policy and “learn the discipline of public health to influence the social factors that determine health and well-being。” She states， “It was the field of public health that looked to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy。 It was public health that focused on prevention of diseases…in the first instance。 It was public health that urged policy makers， health professionals， and patients alike to regard education， housing， food， and transportation as health issues， too。”The part of the book that best exemplified this for me was the chapter describing her work as the Health Commissioner for Baltimore City。 That is where I had the opportunity to witness her dynamic and innovative leadership。 Her summary in the memoir allows one to appreciate the successful programs she implemented while “doctor for the city。” She describes her years at the helm of the country’s oldest health department as her “dream job” where she could use an approach based “on science and community-level advocacy and rooted in the principles of social justice…” Dr。 Wen was a leader in addressing the significant increase in overdose deaths from addiction。 At this point in her life， she and I had the opportunity to meet at a Heroin Task Force convened by the Lt。 Governor。 As s a senior judge， I had been presiding over a felony drug court initiative at the Circuit Court for Baltimore City。 Both of us had given testimony on the problem of the opioid crisis。 She approached me and observed that both of us had given the same messages: （i） Addiction is a disease and not a crime and （ii） Treatment works。 We immediately became friends。 She suggested to me （and I accepted） her offer to come to the court and personally educate and instruct the participants on the opioid antidote naloxone。 In August 2015 Dr。 Wen addressed a crowded courtroom， and personally demonstrated how to use naloxone and patiently answered all questions。 The Baltimore City Adult Drug Treatment Court became the first court in Maryland （and perhaps the country？） to train its participants on the use of naloxone。 It is now established policy in that court to instruct all new participants on its use to prevent an overdose。 Of course， as she describes in further detail， she instituted a city-wide education campaign， had legislation passed that permitted her to issue a city-wide prescription for naloxone and a standing order that after training， outreach workers on needle exchange vans could give naloxone directly。 The book also describes other major programs to address the opioid crisis under her leadership including a centralized 24/7 crisis phone number; a high-tech dashboard showing vacancies in treatment programs; a fentanyl task force; and the building of a Stabilization Center， among the first in the country， dedicated solely for addiction and mental health emergency treatment。Another achievement described in the memoir is Dr。Wen’s response to the death in April， 2015 of a 25 year old African American man， Freddie Gray， from a broken neck and other injuries while he was in police custody being driven in a van。 Baltimore experienced a major uprising which Dr。 Wen describes: “the world saw Baltimore burn-thousands of cars on fire， hundreds of stores being looted， and crowds of angry youth rioting onto the streets。” The Health Department became a “lead agency” to respond to the violence， and she began communications with all of the City’s hospitals to ensure each one had a security plan as well as a strategy to get staff to and from shifts。 She also triaged medical emergencies for patients with doctor’s appointments the next day and arranged transportation for the most critical with needs like chemotherapy and dialysis。 Dr。 Wen describes the need to make prompt decisions， which resulted in an emergency website being set up to publicize health information。 In an emergency， you “need to be the ‘Swiss Army knife’ for every situation。” One her responses was creating a 24-hour phone hotline so that anyone with prescription needs could reach the Health Department to ensure the people would get what the needed。 They spread the information to senior-citizen buildings and more than 150 churches。 The details of this program as well as the emergency Mental Health and Trauma Response Plan and the emergency food and basic supply program are striking。In summary， the book is “alive” with details， dramatic episodes， and a myriad of genuine public health responses that alleviated and prevented further harm。 It certainly meets Dr。 Wen’s intention of showing “the crucial impact of public health on our everyday lives。” As she often states， “ Public health could save your life today”。 。。。more
Nathan Mallipeddi
，
As a future physician， I was very excited to read Dr。 Wen’s book。 Once I began reading， I couldn’t put it down！ Lifelines provides a window into Dr。 Wen’s childhood， education， and work on the front lines of public health。 Dr。 Wen is a national leader in public health policy who dedicated her life to serving as a champion for those forgotten by our imperfect health care system。 The magic of this book is the narrative-style presentation of life lessons coupled to a passionate argument in support As a future physician， I was very excited to read Dr。 Wen’s book。 Once I began reading， I couldn’t put it down！ Lifelines provides a window into Dr。 Wen’s childhood， education， and work on the front lines of public health。 Dr。 Wen is a national leader in public health policy who dedicated her life to serving as a champion for those forgotten by our imperfect health care system。 The magic of this book is the narrative-style presentation of life lessons coupled to a passionate argument in support of the importance of public health。 Dr。 Wen’s argument highlights the intricate role of public health in all aspects of our lives， including housing， food， clean air， and education， and serves as a guidebook into a public health-centered future。 As a writer， Dr。 Wen’s is candid， honest， thoughtful， and passionate。 There is no one like her—her unique personal and professional experiences are truly inspirational。 For these reasons， Lifelines is a must-read for all aspiring change makers。 It’s one of my absolute favorite books， and you’ll be inspired as Dr。 Wen effectively makes the invisible world of public health more visible。 。。。more
Akshayaa Chittibabu
，
As someone passionate about public health， I have followed Dr。 Wen's work as a public health leader throughout the years。 Lifelines delves deeply into this work and her broader reflections on public health as an emergency medicine physician and public servant。 What I enjoyed most about Lifelines was learning about Wen's story， and about what inspired/s her journey and life decisions。 As a daughter of immigrants and future doctor， Wen's candid discussion of her journey into medicine and her exper As someone passionate about public health， I have followed Dr。 Wen's work as a public health leader throughout the years。 Lifelines delves deeply into this work and her broader reflections on public health as an emergency medicine physician and public servant。 What I enjoyed most about Lifelines was learning about Wen's story， and about what inspired/s her journey and life decisions。 As a daughter of immigrants and future doctor， Wen's candid discussion of her journey into medicine and her experience as an immigrant resonated especially deeply。 Wen organizes the book in three main sections: Learning， Leading， and Transforming。 Each provides the behind-the-scenes of different eras of her life and work。 I've read the books of several well-known medical writers over the years and found Wen's writing style to be one of the most compelling。 As a writer， Wen's voice is distinct in its ability to be engaging， candid， and deeply reflective all at once。 Often times while reading， I felt as though I was sitting with a close friend or trusted mentor and listening to them reflect on the experiences that brought them to where they are， all while modeling the kind of humble transparency needed in the public sphere。 Her vulnerability with her readers makes certain sections of the book incredibly moving， such as when she discusses her mother's final months or her struggles with stuttering。 Throughout reading the book， I found myself repeatedly inspired by Wen's tenacity and ability to be vulnerable about the things she's struggled with most。 Her voice as a writer and candor makes the book hard to put down; I quickly finished the book over the course of two days。If you are interested in the role of physicians in the U。S。 public sphere， or specifically in learning about the behind-the-scenes of some of Dr。 Wen's work – such as her work as Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department – I highly recommend this book。 As a graduate student， I research urban health governance and found her discussion of Baltimore's opioid crisis and her time leading BCHD's work tackling the crisis to be candid and insightful。 Finally， there is no doubt that Dr。 Wen is one of our nation's foremost public health leaders。 However， what struck me the most while reading Lifelines is that she is also a genuinely inspiring， warm， and humble person。 We need more people like her in public health and in the public sphere。 。。。more
Kathleen Cahill
，
This amazing book is part memoir， part public health call to action。 First， Memoir: It’s the story of Dr。 Leana Wen， and her incredible tale of persistence and overcoming the odds。 You probably know Dr。 Wen as a CNN medical analyst or perhaps as a Washington Post contributing columnist。 If so， her story might surprise you。 Born in Shanghai， Wen arrived in the U。S。 with her parents at age 7， with no financial resources and almost no English。 Like her parents， she dreamed of a better life。 They st This amazing book is part memoir， part public health call to action。 First， Memoir: It’s the story of Dr。 Leana Wen， and her incredible tale of persistence and overcoming the odds。 You probably know Dr。 Wen as a CNN medical analyst or perhaps as a Washington Post contributing columnist。 If so， her story might surprise you。 Born in Shanghai， Wen arrived in the U。S。 with her parents at age 7， with no financial resources and almost no English。 Like her parents， she dreamed of a better life。 They struggled， despite their hard work。 Wen grew up in poverty， and her family was homeless for a time。 But she beat the odds -- to an extraordinary degree。 She was a college student at age 13。 Medical school soon followed。 She was a Rhodes scholar and eventually an emergency physician who has worked to transform public health in the U。S。 -- with the goal of a public health system that promotes health equity and social justice。Then， Call To Action: As a child， Dr。 Wen witnessed the death of another child from an asthma attack -- and came to understand that he died not because medical science couldn't help him， but rather from a lack of access to the medical care that would have saved his life。 Later， as an ER physician， she saw much the same: That poverty and a lack of access to medical care were costing people their lives， and that public health could level the playing field of inequality and injustice。 And so， she made public health her mission， eventually becoming the health commissioner for Baltimore City， where she is remembered for her innovative programs and life-saving decisions， such as issuing a city-wide， blanket prescription for Naloxone， an opioid antidote， so that anyone who had been trained to administer Naloxone could obtain it from any pharmacy， to reverse an opioid overdose and save a life。 And countless lives were saved as a result。 Dr。 Wen writes that her life is a testament to public health。 To read this book is to be persuaded by her extraordinary personal journey -- and by the lives that she， in turn， has saved with her commitment to health as a human right and the certainty that public health saves lives。 Anyone with an interest in public health， or in transforming an entrenched system， or in overcoming extraordinary odds will want to read this truly inspiring book。 And Lifelines is a story of hope that feels particularly timely as we emerge （we hope） from the greatest public health crisis in a century。Late in the book， with a nod to Winston Churchill， Dr。 Wen writes， "I believe strongly that we are not defined by the circumstances of our past but by how we choose to respond。" She is living proof of that。 Read this book， and be persuaded。 。。。more
William McCarthy
，
An inspirational journey but an even more powerful story。 Through her lived experience as a new neighbor to the United States as a child， experiencing poverty and housing and food insecurity in her formative years， Dr Wen not only came to understand the heath， social and systemic inequities that economically disadvantaged and communities of color face， she lived it。 It was this understanding that motivated her to become an agent of change and a national leader in public health with a vision of u An inspirational journey but an even more powerful story。 Through her lived experience as a new neighbor to the United States as a child， experiencing poverty and housing and food insecurity in her formative years， Dr Wen not only came to understand the heath， social and systemic inequities that economically disadvantaged and communities of color face， she lived it。 It was this understanding that motivated her to become an agent of change and a national leader in public health with a vision of universal public wellness。 As an emergency room physician， teacher and the leader of the oldest health department in the United States， through data， stories and interventions， Dr Wen shows the layers and dimensions of public health and the impact that social determinants has on the lives of people， communities and our society。 People working in healthcare and human services along with others who want to better understand public health and to make a difference in the lives of others and make our communities stronger must read Lifelines。 It is inspiring and practical with examples of ways to become more engaged。Bill McCarthyExecutive DirectorCatholic Charities of Baltimore 。。。more
Christopher J。
，
In “Lifelines，” Dr。 Wen offers a dose of reality—and an unassuming roadmap—for how one takes action against incredible adversity。 It is a page-turning memoir， a breath-taking exposure to the systemic challenges of public health， and， perhaps most importantly， a masterclass case study on leadership and decision-making。 Dr。 Wen’s story of “facing adversity and finding strength in struggle” inspires readers to take stock of their own hero’s journey。 Hers is exactly that—at every step of the way， Dr In “Lifelines，” Dr。 Wen offers a dose of reality—and an unassuming roadmap—for how one takes action against incredible adversity。 It is a page-turning memoir， a breath-taking exposure to the systemic challenges of public health， and， perhaps most importantly， a masterclass case study on leadership and decision-making。 Dr。 Wen’s story of “facing adversity and finding strength in struggle” inspires readers to take stock of their own hero’s journey。 Hers is exactly that—at every step of the way， Dr。 Wen worked through seemingly insurmountable challenges， wrestled with choices that bury most， and shows how one cultivates resilience。 I appreciated how she wove in her personal experiences in child- and adulthood—being an immigrant from China， asthma， stuttering， family dynamics， college， her relationship， and motherhood—to show how they drove her towards and through the public health fight。 An aspect of Dr。 Wen’s courageous journey that jumped off the pages was her commitment to taking action in her personal and professional lives。 Dr。 Wen showed that change is possible， and we should welcome gradual， incremental changes as we work toward our ultimate goals。 Whether it was the lessons she learned from her grandparents and parents， academic mentors， or on-the-job success and failures， Dr。 Wen candidly deconstructs her experiences to offer a walk-in-her-shoes perspective on how to navigate challenging circumstances。 While I am not a medical professional， it was Dr。 Wen’s willingness to share this kind of first person perspective on why and how she made the choices that she did throughout her life that made it such an invaluable book on leadership and decision-making。 I didn’t have to know anything about public health—though it will now be etched in my mind forever—to be captivated by her bias for action and ability to figure things out。 She faced fear and took risks， failed at times， and stood up to antiquated processes， which I could easily relate to circumstances in my own life。 In relation， Dr。 Wen’s pursuit of “good enough” resonated as an antidote to the inaction of perfection that often paralyzes many efforts to make change before they even begin。 Those who are struggling or want to make a difference in this world would be wise to study Dr。 Wen’s life and career thus far similarly to the way we do with other great leaders of our time。 Lifelines is but the first chapter in what inevitably will be her ascension to prominent leadership positions that will put her on the front lines of change in this country。 Her story， courage， and continued evolution will serve as a model for my future。 Thank you for writing your story， Dr。 Wen， and for being a mentor from afar。 。。。more
Kevin Lindamood
，
Lifelines is an integrated and intriguing personal memoir， public health treatise， and practical guide to leadership that speaks powerfully to the moment we're in right now。 There's so much to appreciate here - from inspiring personal narrative， to behind-the-scenes reflections on challenging leadership decisions， to a sober analysis of the threats posed by a global pandemic layered over insufficient public health systems。 Dr。 Leana Wen rejects the separation of the "personal" and the "professio Lifelines is an integrated and intriguing personal memoir， public health treatise， and practical guide to leadership that speaks powerfully to the moment we're in right now。 There's so much to appreciate here - from inspiring personal narrative， to behind-the-scenes reflections on challenging leadership decisions， to a sober analysis of the threats posed by a global pandemic layered over insufficient public health systems。 Dr。 Leana Wen rejects the separation of the "personal" and the "professional" and instead consistently and compellingly uses personal experience to explore the broader public health questions facing us all。 She challenges the reader， channeling the late Congressman Elijah Cummings （the namesake of her son， Eli）， to let one's pain drive one's passion to become one's purpose。 By experiencing over time the fires， fears， failures and triumphs that forge a public health leader， the reader is then motivated to reflect upon their own pain， passion and purpose。 We look forward to what's next in Dr。 Wen's story - and we're made to consider our own。 Here's the thread: empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of others and to advance collective policy priorities beyond narrow personal interests。 Amid rampant disinvestment in public health， increased partisan polarization， structural inequities， and the politicization of objective reality， true empathy may be our most essential lifeline。 。。。more
Leonard Friedman
，
Lifelines is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn life-lessons from a real public health hero。 Dr。 Leana Wen shares her life story in a way that serves to inspire others to do great things。 Her honesty， integrity， and clear vision for a better future makes Lifelines an important story for these challenging times。
Vadim
，
I don't know about you， but I always thought I had a fair grasp on public health in America。 Its issues， its victims， and its benefactors。 Reading Lifelines gave clarity and credence to some of my notions。 It blew the rest of them wide open。 Not only does it go deep on what happens behind the scenes， it takes you into places and conversations you never knew were happening。 Not every doctor or public health official can tell a story like this because not everyone has worked in the ER following a I don't know about you， but I always thought I had a fair grasp on public health in America。 Its issues， its victims， and its benefactors。 Reading Lifelines gave clarity and credence to some of my notions。 It blew the rest of them wide open。 Not only does it go deep on what happens behind the scenes， it takes you into places and conversations you never knew were happening。 Not every doctor or public health official can tell a story like this because not everyone has worked in the ER following a major terrorist attack， treated civil war victims in the Congo， served as health commissioner for a major American city， ran and butted heads with the largest provider of reproductive health services in America， and the list goes on and on。 This book is unlike any other because it could only be written by Leana Wen。 And I don't mean someone like Leana Wen， because truthfully there is nobody like her。 Throughout all of the illumination and relevation， you get to meet a real person working as hard as they can to make sure the preventable tragedies she saw as a child do not befall anyone else。 Leana's writing is candid， vulnerable， and honest。 Her own story is as compelling as her career and in Lifelines you get both。 Get the book， you'll be glad you did。 。。。more
Linda Jones
，
In this highly readable book， Dr。 Leana Wen makes a compelling argument for the role of public health in addressing many of society’s ills， from the opioid crisis to teen pregnancy to gun violence to the pandemic。 She weaves these policy arguments into the poignant and gripping story of her personal journey。 Dr。 Wen’s unwavering commitment to a more equitable society is inspirational。 Everyone should read this engaging and important book！
Nelson
，
This is an incredible and exceptional read regarding the importance of public health。 More than that， it is unforgettable story from the beginning。 I was in tears throughout the first section of the book because of the personal circumstances that Leana experienced in her formative years。 She provided elucidating insight into the impact of public health to reduce disparity amongst underrepresented communities through her experience as the Public Health Commissioner of Baltimore and head of Planne This is an incredible and exceptional read regarding the importance of public health。 More than that， it is unforgettable story from the beginning。 I was in tears throughout the first section of the book because of the personal circumstances that Leana experienced in her formative years。 She provided elucidating insight into the impact of public health to reduce disparity amongst underrepresented communities through her experience as the Public Health Commissioner of Baltimore and head of Planned Parenthood。 There are life lessons， guiding principles of wisdom， and interesting perspective concerning the covid-19 pandemic。 Dr。 Wen packs a lot of good information in a page-turner from the beginning。 I highly recommend it for all interested in public health or inspiring memoirs。 。。。more
Jan Houbolt
，
This book is a wonderful read。 It intertwines a remarkable biography of overcoming multiple obstacles with a deep dive into the most important public health issues of today。 It reads like a novel but a policy wonk would love it also。Leana Wen is openly vulnerable in terms of allowing you to walk into her life and seeing not only her accomplishments but also her missteps and regrets along with lessons learned on her journey。 Simultaneously she gives a data driven advocacy for better public policy This book is a wonderful read。 It intertwines a remarkable biography of overcoming multiple obstacles with a deep dive into the most important public health issues of today。 It reads like a novel but a policy wonk would love it also。Leana Wen is openly vulnerable in terms of allowing you to walk into her life and seeing not only her accomplishments but also her missteps and regrets along with lessons learned on her journey。 Simultaneously she gives a data driven advocacy for better public policy around health issues。 I really loved this book。 I think you will also。 。。。more
T。 McGinnis
，
With purpose emboldened by compassion， Dr。 Wen invites readers into the compelling， change-making work of her life。 As an advocate， physician， and public health leader， she advances a rare combination of convictions lived and learned--weaving together lessons of intimate， personal vulnerability with our most pressing public needs。 Among her compelling lessons is the refusal of cynicism， an insistence on doing the necessary work to ensure our collective prosperity。 In tracing out the relationship With purpose emboldened by compassion， Dr。 Wen invites readers into the compelling， change-making work of her life。 As an advocate， physician， and public health leader， she advances a rare combination of convictions lived and learned--weaving together lessons of intimate， personal vulnerability with our most pressing public needs。 Among her compelling lessons is the refusal of cynicism， an insistence on doing the necessary work to ensure our collective prosperity。 In tracing out the relationships and hopes that drive Dr。 Wen forward， Lifelines asks that we too embrace our part in this common project。 Paraphrasing her own hero， the late Representative Elijah Cummings， Dr。 Wen demonstrates with vigor how one's pain may ignite a passion that renews and advances such vital purpose。 。。。more
Beth R
，
Leana Wen writes a poignant， personal story of her immigrant childhood in an impoverished family， her unlikely journey to become a doctor， and her development as a young， Asian-American woman leader and health activist， all through a public health lens。 She intertwines the intimate experiences of a daughter， wife， mother， and doctor， making the book a highly readable and relatable story。 She offers insightful， plainly written explanations and analysis， based on science， of the formidable challen Leana Wen writes a poignant， personal story of her immigrant childhood in an impoverished family， her unlikely journey to become a doctor， and her development as a young， Asian-American woman leader and health activist， all through a public health lens。 She intertwines the intimate experiences of a daughter， wife， mother， and doctor， making the book a highly readable and relatable story。 She offers insightful， plainly written explanations and analysis， based on science， of the formidable challenges to solving public health problems， from addiction and gun violence to women’s health and the COVID-19 pandemic。 This is at once a book about public health for experienced health and policy professionals and for those who may not have noticed public health until the pandemic put the words on the front page。Dr。 Wen’s extraordinary personal story and accomplishments are an inspiration for all of us who want to make the world a better place。 More than that， she tells compelling， sometimes heartbreaking， stories about individuals she has encountered and balances them with relevant data about populations and policy change。 She further inspires us with quotes from her mentors and heroes， such as Congressman Eli Cummings， Dr。 Fitzhugh Mullan， and Dr。 Martin Luther King， Jr。 She makes the case that there is no such thing as a non-health sector， that everything is influenced by public health， and the public’s health is influenced in turn by everything else。 She describes concrete approaches she has used that follow this overarching principle about public health。 She is honest and forthcoming about the ethical dilemmas she has faced as an advocate and physician， and the actions she then took to serve those in need， her true north star。I highly recommend this remarkable book。 I can hardly wait to see what this brilliant national media star and public health thought-leader will do next！ 。。。more
Kristy Woolf
，