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And now, from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN Audio, the Ax Files, with your host David Axelrod.

You probably have seen or heard Dr. Lena Wynn one of our country's most compelling public health leaders,

who has been a beacon of light during this long siege of COVID-19, but you really have to hear her story,

which is as admirable and remarkable as any have had a chance to explore on the Ax Files.

I sat down with Dr. Wynn this week, she's just written a new book called Lifeline to Doctors Journey in the Fight for Public Health,

in which she tells her story. Here's our conversation.

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Dr. Lena Wynn, it is such a pleasure to see you. We've had the chance to be in boxes together on the screen at CNN,

and I am a big consumer of your wisdom, especially through this virus.

But welcome to the podcast. It's great to see you.

Thank you very much. Great to see you, David. I have admired you and your leadership and work for so long,

and love your podcast, and so am thrilled to be on with you.

Thank you. Well, listen, let's make this a mutual admiration society.

Everybody knows you for your views on the virus, which you speak about widely, and people can see on CNN.

They don't know you. They don't know your story.

And you just wrote a book called Lifelines to Doctors Journey in the Fight for Public Health.

It frankly blew me away, because I'm a consumer of great stories.

This one is almost incomparable, and I want to do it justice.

So before we get to talking about where we are relative to this virus, I really want to explore how you got to this moment,

and we should probably start with the fact that your name wasn't always Lena.

Right. That was a name that, like with many immigrants, was conferred on you,

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