Season 2 Episode 7 -Lester Y. Leung, MD, MSc Tufts MC
Quick Bio:

• Board certified vascular & general neurologist
• Assistant Professor of Neurology
• Director, Comprehensive Stroke Center at Tufts Medical Center
• Director and Founder, Stroke and Young Adults (SAYA) Program
• Principal Investigator, Tufts Vascular Neurology Research Group
• Director, Stroke Service at MetroWest Medical Center
• Co-Chair, American Heart Association-American Stroke Association Massachusetts Stroke Systems of Care

This was a real impactful episode for my co-host Mike and I as we convened late this past Sunday evening to interview board certified vascular and general neurologist, Lester Leung, MD, MSc of Tufts MC. For myself (co-host David Dansereau), this episode was also very personal as I was able to thank Lester for the critical role he played in my own stroke recovery both as my neurologist and as a friend and coach.

Lester grew up in New Orleans, LA and after coming to Boston to attend college he returned home to New Orleans for medical school and found himself on a mission to help rebuild New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina. From this early advocacy, rebuilding homes and riding with EMS to help Katrina victims “where they were” he was moved and impacted by the fractured healthcare system and all the challenges it presented for victims during an emergency like Katrina. Lester credits these early lessons learned as well as having really dynamic mentors along the way, in particular New Orleans based stroke neurologist Sheryl Martin-Schild, MD,PhD for enlightening him on how people with stroke are suffering and have multifaceted unmet needs. This early career experience solidified Dr. Leung’s dedication to neurology and when he later moved back to Boston to begin his career you’ll learn how these early lessons sparked his passion to do more for the stroke community, with a special interest in the needs of young stroke. This was a moving and enlightening discussion and together, Lester, Mike and I unpacked many stroke topics including:

• Exploring and studying screening of late complications after stroke among stroke survivors, esp. young stroke survivors
• Dr Leung’s advocacy to spearhead a statewide/regional/(global)* PSA on the need to seek emergency care for stroke despite the pandemic surge. * Mike revealed he even viewed and heard Lester’s PSA used across the Atlantic as a model to use as a stroke awareness call to action while in Dublin!
• Treating patients at Tufts in later time windows after stroke (late presenter thrombolysis)
• Understanding disparities and stroke recovery outcome, including novel factors like neighborhood income inequality, and community investment in stroke rehab resources.
• Use of high technology and investment in stroke recovery vs high touch longitudinal coaching and education models and how both involve following the reimbursement dollars for care delivery and addressing recovery plateaus
• The Comprehensive Stroke Center at Tufts, including its first in the nation SAYA Program (Stroke And Young Adult) an outpatient longitudinal care model founded by Dr. Leung.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YEp0i78HtyI
http://lesterleung.com
http://youngadultstroke.org
https://www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org/physiciandirectory/lester-leung
PSA from Tufts : https://youtu.be/UdHSYjKzG-g

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