MEET
Dr. Leroy Graham
The statistics said he would fail. Divorced parents. Single mother. Financial struggle. But Dr. Leroy Graham turned every barrier into a stepping stone—becoming a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, pediatric pulmonary specialist, and founder of a nonprofit that empowered thousands.
From Chicago's South Side to Desert Storm. From a "broken home" to breaking barriers in medicine. From anxiety and self-doubt to Alpha Omega Alpha at Georgetown Medical School.
This is the story of how your circumstances don't determine your outcomes—your response does.
Introducing: Breaking Barriers
A Doctor's Journey from Broken Home to Battle-Tested Leader
About the Book
The Statistics Indicated He Would Fail. Instead, He Became Extraordinary.
· Divorced parents when he was 6
· Single mother working at the phone company
· Financial struggle in Chicago's South Side
· Served as Brigade Surgeon during Desert Storm
· Discovered a life-threatening heart condition
· Faced institutional racism in the South
· Founded "Not One More Life" nonprofit
What You'll Learn:
✓ How "no pity parties" builds unshakeable resilience
✓ Why having two fathers beats having one absent father
✓ How mission focus defeats paralyzing fear
✓ Why anxiety became his greatest asset
✓ How empowering patients beats attacking systems
✓ Why the only dumb question is the one you don't ask
Keynotes | Interviews | Seminars | Panel Discussions
About Dr. Leroy Graham
Dr. Leroy Graham was born on Valentine's Day, 1954, at Providence Hospital on Chicago's South Side—the same hospital where Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed America's first successful open-heart surgery. This divine connection to medical history would prove prophetic.
From Broken Home to Breaking Barriers
When his parents divorced, young Leroy could have become a statistic. Instead, his mother's "no pity parties" philosophy and his stepfather's intervention created something remarkable: a young man with TWO engaged fathers instead of one absent father.
Academic Excellence Against the Odds
Educated by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (founded specifically to serve African Americans and Native Americans)
Saint Ignatius College Prep (Jesuit education that taught him how to excel)
Saint Joseph's College, Philadelphia (pre-med excellence)
Georgetown University School of Medicine (first African American inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha honor society)
Military Service & Leadership
14 years in U.S. Army Medical Corps
Rose to Lieutenant Colonel (O-5)
Brigade Surgeon, Second Brigade, First Infantry Division
Served during Operation Desert Storm
Responsible for medical operations for 2,000 soldiers
Present at ceasefire ceremonies, met General Norman Schwarzkopf
Medical Career & Health Advocacy
Pediatric pulmonary specialist
Practiced in Atlanta, Georgia
Founded "Not One More Life" nonprofit
Teaches "radical health consumerism"
Addresses health disparities in minority communities
Partners with churches and community organizations
Personal Life
Married to Dr. Patrice Graham for over 40 years (also a physician). Father of two successful adult children: Arianne (Harvard Business School graduate working in corporate strategy) and Max (professional dog trainer). Continues health advocacy through Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity in Florida.
"Breaking Barriers" is his first book.
SPEECH TITLES
Keynotes | Corporate Events | Associations | Schools | Healthcare Organizations
Dr. Graham delivers powerful, authentic messages that inspire audiences to break their own barriers. His presentations combine personal storytelling, military leadership principles, medical expertise, and faith-based resilience.
Speeches Titles:
1. "From Broken Home to Battle-Tested Leader: Leadership Under Pressure" Military-grade leadership lessons applied to business, healthcare, and education. How mission focus, preparation, and faith overcome dire predictions.
2. "Radical Health Consumerism: Empowering Communities to Demand Better" Healthcare equity, addressing disparities, and teaching minorities to become informed advocates for their own health.
3. "No Pity Parties: Building Unshakeable Resilience in Young People" For educators, youth workers, and parents. How to acknowledge pain while building character that refuses victim mentality.
4. "Anxiety as Asset: Managing Fear to Maximize Performance" From the "wimpy kid" who couldn't do a push-up to Brigade Surgeon in combat. How anxiety, properly channeled, becomes thoroughness and empathy.
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