Quotes from Leana S. Wen

No one should die of cervical cancer because they can't access quality, affordable reproductive health care.

Inaction will always have a disproportionate impact on those who are the most disadvantaged.

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

When hospitals close, ambulance times can increase dramatically, and the additional wait often means the difference between life and death.

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 is a powerful tool to level that playing field, to bend the arc of our country away from distrust and disparities and back towards equity and justice.

Violence, poverty and health disparities have many inputs.

Sound health policy is about so much more than the mechanics of insurance. Let's stop letting 'Medicare-for-all' dominate the conversation.

The controversial idea of abolishing private insurance in favor of a single, government-run program certainly deserves some rigorous back-and-forth. But not at the expense of issues with a much greater impact on our health.

Let's focus on the real causes of violence, poverty and health disparities to heal Baltimore and transform it into a successful and positive model for others to follow.

My job as the doctor is to provide my patients with the information and services they need to make the best decisions for them and their families. Medicine is complex, and every situation is different.

If someone is told they have depression or addiction, why don't we allow them the same compassion and time for healing as if they were diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes? These are all illnesses for which treatment exists and recovery is possible.

As an emergency physician, I have seen my patients forgo needed treatment because they are afraid they will lose their jobs.

There is so much information on diagnostics and treatments - one person cannot possibly know everything. A good doctor is one who isn't afraid to admit that he or she doesn't know everything.

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.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, but why is it that we can't find the same access to mental health treatment as we do for physical health ailments?

Because cervical cancer generally progresses slowly, early diagnosis is often crucial to detecting the disease when there are curative treatment options available.

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

The most critical key to getting good medial care is a trusting relationship between you and your doctor.

Elijah E. Cummings leaves behind an invaluable legacy as a congressman for Baltimore for more than two decades and as a champion for social justice. His passing is a call to cherish the many gifts he imparted on all those fortunate to know him, but it's also a reminder of a painful reality facing people of color: shorter life expectancy.

We must start 24/7 ERs dedicated to addiction and mental health.

We must offer mental health services in the community, where people are, including in our schools.

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

When I was 10 years old, my neighbor died in front of me of an asthma attack, because he and his family were undocumented immigrants and his grandmother was afraid of what would happen if they called an ambulance for help.