Hello Reader,
When Lorna Breen died by suicide in 2020, her brother-in-law Corey Feist made a choice that changed federal policy.
He listened.
Not to consultants. Not to a board room. To the healthcare workers themselves — nurses, physicians, pharmacists, PAs — who flooded his inbox after national coverage of Lorna's passing. People who were scared. People who were watching their own children enter a profession and wondering if it was safe.
What Corey heard became the architecture of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation — and eventually, the first federal law ever created to support the wellbeing of health workers.
In this special Podcasthon episode, Corey and I talked about what's changed, what hasn't, and what every healthcare leader — and every one of you — can do right now.
Three things I want you to take away:
1. Burnout is not a personal failing. It's an occupational syndrome caused by the system. Corey said it plainly: burnout isn't even a diagnosed mental health condition in the DSM. It manifests in the individual, but it originates in the organization. Yoga apps and resilience workshops aren't wrong — but if that's all we offer, we've tipped the scale toward individual solutions while ignoring the systemic root cause. Both sides of the scale matter. This is the both/and at the heart of everything I teach.
2. The wins are real — and we have to celebrate them out loud. 43 state medical licensing boards have now removed overly invasive mental health questions from their credentialing applications (up from 17 when the Foundation began). Over 3 million health workers are now covered by the Champions Challenge program. Hundreds of thousands benefited from Lorna Breen Act grants. These numbers don't get communicated enough inside healthcare organizations — and when people don't know change is happening, they can't feel it.
3. The funding window is open right now — and your voice matters. The Lorna Breen Act was reauthorized, but it still needs annual appropriations funding through 2030. Right now, individual members of Congress have forms on their websites where you can formally request that your representative fund these programs. This takes 5 minutes and is one of the most direct actions any of us can take. Link in show notes.
This episode is part of the Podcasthon International Charity 2026 — a global podcast movement raising awareness and funds for the causes our shows are built around. We are proud Ambassadors for the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation.
Go listen. Then go fill out the form.
It's easy! Go to the website, add in a small bit of personalization, and off it goes!
Podcasthon 2026 episode drops on March 14, 2026!
🎧 Listen to the podcast sneak peek episode and listen to the full episode on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Podbean, or Amazon Music.
What's inspiring us this week:
Social acceptance, even for a little baby macaque Punch in Japan, is possible. https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/japan/punch-the-monkey-update-accepted-b2932343.html
The Practice: Celebrating Wins
We get more of what we focus on. The practice of gratitude and celebrating the goodness of life is the first step in changing our brains, mindsets, and circumstances for the better.
Warm weather! It even hit 78 degrees this past week, and people are back out in flip flops! This meant dusting off the covered furniture on the deck and getting some fresh air with all the windows open!
Stay mindful and keep leading,
Lillian
Founder & CEO
P.S. If you scrolled this far: Go click and send an email to help Congress continue the work of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation: Fund Lorna Breen Act Programs Email: https://drlornabreen.org/fundlba/
P.P.S. Forward this email to a friend or colleague in healthcare: Help us be Ambassadors for change!
| When it comes to your growth as a healthcare leader right now, what would be most helpful? |
|
|
|
|
Ready for More? Join our FREE Community:
This is our free community where we host:
our quarterly Book Rounds book club,
monthly live streaming webinars,
and resources related to leadership and wellbeing.
If you're looking for like-minded support and real growth, this is your space.
Prefer personalized support?
Book a Call to explore how we can support your unique journey in healthcare.
To make sure you never miss an update, please:
- Move this email to your Primary inbox (see steps above).
- Add us to your contacts.
- Click and reply to let your inbox know you want our emails. Plus we love to hear from you!
If you want to update your preferences or unsubscribe, just click the link below.
