Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara oncologist Hoa Le, MD, is a testament to the fact that even during challenging times, a person can accomplish incredible things.
Despite a devastating spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed, Dr. Le continued to pursue a career in medicine. He has inspired his colleagues, friends, family, and patients with his remarkable story of overcoming adversity.
“I love medicine,” he said. “The best way that I know how to help save the world is to take care of people in this way. It has taken so much time to feel whole, but the special thing is to realize that you are whole enough to be strong enough to fight for others, especially those with disabilities.”
A life-changing surfing accident
Dr. Le was in his internal medicine residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Southern California when he had a life-changing surfing accident during his honeymoon in Hawaii.
“I had a hard fall but got back up and started surfing again,” he recounted of his 2003 accident. “But 45 minutes later, I started to feel off and strange – not myself.”
By the time Dr. Le arrived at the hospital, his doctors predicted that he had a very low chance of walking again.
“It was difficult to process,” he said. “The blunt trauma from the fall caused the spinal cord to swell, which compromised the blood flow to the spine. This essentially caused a spinal cord stroke.”
Although Dr. Le spent 15 months away from his residency program to recover, there was never a moment when he didn’t think about medicine.
“After a while, it’s OK to be tired of being tired,” Dr. Le said. “You want your life back. And that’s what I did.”
Supporting the community of people with disabilities
Dr. Le returned to his residency program and earned his medical degree. He started working for Kaiser Permanente in 2009.
He has earned respect and admiration from his colleagues.
“Dr. Le is an incredible physician, colleague, and human being,” said Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Physician in Chief Rakesh Chaudhary, MD. “He has stepped up to lead our efforts in the area of equity, inclusion, and diversity.”
Dr. Le co-founded the Disability Alliance with recently retired Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara cardiovascular surgeon Hon Lee, MD.
The group has increased awareness about what it’s like to live with a disability, and it offers a safe space for fireside chats and roundtable discussions. They have advocated for campus improvements, such as retrofitting bathroom doors and designing a care pathway for the community of people with disabilities.
Dr. Le’s work with the alliance is meaningful and gives him joy.
“One of the most important things that has come out of our work is a strong community for people with disabilities to become empowered,” he said.
In addition to leading the Disability Alliance, Dr. Le and his wife, Jennifer, founded Reach Career Mentoring, a nonprofit that empowers people with disabilities through mentorship, career exploration, and skills development. They started the nonprofit because Dr. Le felt very alone years ago after his accident. He dreamed of mentoring others to pay it forward.
“I had absolutely nobody to turn to who had been through a similar experience,” he remembered. “This led me to think about what others would need in the same situation. Our vision is to create an inclusive society where people with all types of disabilities thrive in their chosen careers. Our deep connection with others and living to help others heal – physically and emotionally – helps us heal.”
