LeBlanc ‘17 named as one of Business West’s 40 under 40, Class of 2023

Alumna Ashley LeBlanc ‘17 is the Nurse Practice Manager of Thoracic Surgery and Nursing Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program at Mercy Medical Center and was named as one of Business West’s 40 under 40, Class of 2023.   

In addition to overseeing the Thoracic Surgery unit, she has been instrumental in creating a Lung Cancer Screening Program (LCSP) that has been designated a Screening Center of Excellence. The LCSP has screened more than 12,000 people since it was created in 2016 and identified cancer in more than 200 of them. In two-thirds of those cases, it was found in stage 1 or 2.  

LeBlanc’s passion for lung-cancer treatment and screening is evidenced by her extensive work in the community. She has served as the nurse planner for the American Lung Association’s annual LUNG FORCE education events in Springfield and East Hartford, and spearheaded the creation of the first Springfield LUNG FORCE event after learning there were few lung-cancer continuing-education opportunities for local providers. Prior to the pandemic, she coordinated an annual fundraiser for Mercy’s LCSP to provide ‘scholarships’ for individuals who could not afford a screening. 

“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,” she said of her work. “It’s what keeps me going.” 

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