Join us for an inspiring virtual book club conversation as best-selling, award-winning author Judy Pearson sits down with Lesley Jane Seymour to discuss her latest biography, Crusade to Heal America: The Remarkable Life of Mary Lasker. Long before women were a presence in the halls of Congress or the labs of the National Institutes of Health, Mary Lasker—armed with determination and political savvy—paved the way for transformative medical research in America. With her signature grace and tenacity, she fought for the future of science and public health, leaving a lasting legacy. Whether you’ve read the book or not, this conversation will captivate and inspire, reminding us that one individual truly can change the course of history.
Our Guest Speaker: Judith L. Pearson
Judy Pearson is a best-selling author, an accomplished presenter, and a graduate of Michigan State University. But her favorite title is “story teller.” Judy’s first two biographies told the stories of ordinary Americans who had been extraordinarily courageous during World War II. Her second, Wolves at the Door, is not only a best-seller, but has been purchased for a movie. A diagnosis of breast cancer interrupted Judy’s career, but believing there is always treasure in life’s wreckage, she created an anthology of the articles and blogs called It’s Just Hair: 20 Essential Life Lessons. It won a 2012 International Book Award. She found more treasure in a unexpected trilogy of never-before told stories. The first, From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement was named the 2022 Gold Nautilus Award winner. Next came Crusade to Heal America: The Remarkable Life of Mary Lasker, selected the 2023 Florida Book Award Bronze Medal winner. The third book is a work in progress. Radical Sisters will tell the history of the women’s health revolution through the breast cancer journeys of Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, and Evelyn Lauder. Judy was named one of Chicago’s Most Inspirational Women, was selected as a finalist for the Arizona Healthcare Leadership Awards and named a Phoenix Healthcare Hero the same year. She and her husband, David, live in Nokomis, FL.
