Congratulations to Ashley LeBlanc, BSN, RN, Nurse Practice Manager of Thoracic Surgery and Nursing Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program for Medical Center! She was recently honored by BusinessWest for her career achievements and service to the community at the Springfield-based publication's "40 Under Forty" Gala in Holyoke in June. As a member of the "40 Under Forty" Class of 2022, LeBlanc was celebrated along with other young business and community leaders for their many accomplishments.
For LeBlanc, lung cancer and lung cancer screening are personal, having lost four relatives to the disease, several of whom would’ve qualifying for screening had it been available at the time of their diagnosis. She also sees the importance of early detection in her daily work.
In addition to overseeing Mercy’s Thoracic Surgery department, LeBlanc has also been instrumental in creating a successful evidence-based, patient-centered Lung Cancer Screening Program (LCSP) that is unique to many others. In fact, Mercy's LCSP has earned national recognition for meeting the highest standards of lung cancer screening, including designation as a "Screening Center of Excellence" by the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer and recognition as a "Designated ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center" by the American College of Radiology.
LeBlanc's passion for lung cancer treatment and screening is evidenced by her extensive work in the community, both locally and on the national stage. She served as a panelist at the GO2 Foundation's 2021 Lung Cancer Centers of Excellence Summit, presenting virtually on, "Quality Metrics in Lung Cancer Screening: Optimizing Your Data's Impact. LeBlanc has served as the nurse planner for the American Lung Association's annual LUNG FORCE education events in Springfield and East Hartford. Prior to the pandemic, LeBlanc also coordinated an annual fundraiser for Mercy's LCSP to provide "scholarships" for individuals who could not afford a screening. She believes that financial limitations should never prevent someone from having this life-saving procedure.
LeBlanc is a fierce advocate for patients related to lung cancer screening, treatment, and research, who concentrates her efforts on ways to decrease the mortality rate of lung cancer and breakdown the stigma of lung cancer through educating the community. "It's so fulfilling to know that others may be spared the heartache of that loss through early detection and a wider variety of treatment options. Allowing other families the chance to walk their daughter down the aisle, hold their first grandbaby, witness the accomplishments of subsequent generations – it's what keeps me going," she said.