Stroke and Young Adults Continuity (SAYA-C) Program by Headway Neurology

Schedule a NEW PATIENT visit at the SAYA Continuity Program now: click here to complete Intake Forms and schedule an appointment

Schedule a FOLLOWUP visit at the SAYA Continuity Program here: click here to complete a Followup Form and schedule an appointment

Schedule an appointment for your patient (if you are a clinician or work in a clinic): click this link

Stroke can happen to anyone, at any age, at any time.

Approximately 10-15% of new strokes occur among young adults age 18-50 each year, but young stroke survivors likely represent anywhere from a quarter to a third of all stroke survivors. Nonetheless, young stroke survivors are often invisible - not effectively recognized by our health care system, and also not embraced by our cultures and society. In many cases, young stroke survivors feel blamed for their strokes (whether by others or themselves), even if their causes of stroke were completely unavoidable.

You are not alone.

It is my mission to help young stroke survivors understand what happened, avoid future strokes, and recover as best as they can. Each young stroke survivor goes through a different journey, which may or may not be aided by a Neurologist or a Vascular (stroke) Neurologist.

The Stroke and Young Adults Continuity (SAYA-C) Program is for:

[1] Young stroke survivors who have seen a Neurologist but need more help figuring out why they had a stroke and how to prevent future strokes.

[2] Young stroke survivors who need more help strategizing on how to regain pre-stroke abilities and responsibilities (e.g. work, child rearing, caring for elderly parents, etc.).

[3] Young stroke survivors who want to continue to seek counsel with a Vascular Neurologist experienced with the care of young stroke survivors as new health issues and considerations emerge.

[4] Children with stroke who are aging out of their pediatric stroke practices and need continuity with an Adult Vascular Neurology clinician.

[5] Young women who had a prior stroke or who have significant stroke risk factors who are planning to undergo a pregnancy.

*If you are currently working with a Neurologist, I can work with you and collaborate with them.

To achieve this aim and best serve you, I believe the best practice model and setting at this time is a micropractice. This involves:

1. Easy and direct access to me - All messages and correspondences would be directly with me. Messages generally would come at no additional cost, but some time consuming paperwork (e.g. FMLA/disability forms, accommodations letters) will require a small charge.

2. Direct care (self pay, but with possible private insurance reimbursement) - To minimize administrative costs and maximize transparency of the value of services, this is a cash only practice (cash, check, credit/debit). I will provide receipts and clinical documentation directly to you. Flexible spending accounts (FSA), health savings accounts (HSA), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) connected to credit/debit cards can be used to pay for these appointments (or for you to apply for reimbursement after the appointment). For major insurers in Massachusetts, I will provide partially prefilled Out of Network Reimbursement forms to aid you if you wish to submit these to your health insurer for reimbursement.

3. Personalized time tables - Some people would benefit from frequent visits over the first 1-3 years post-stroke, whereas others may prefer a "tune-up" every 6-12 months. Most appointments will be 60 minutes in duration, but there will be flexibility to have shorter appointments (30 minutes) with discrete goals. I am happy and willing to help you at the frequency that makes sense to you and is financially and logistically feasible.

4. Leveraging a network of clinicians, therapy modalities, and technologies - I have an established network of clinician colleagues who provide advanced recovery services (e.g. spasticity management, nerve-tendon surgeries, neurostimulator implantation, music therapy, etc.) and prescription/referral pathways for specific treatments and technologies that I can bring to your individualized recovery plan.

Important notice for patients enrolled in Medicare and MassHealth (Medicaid): Medicare and Medicaid do not allow clinicians to accept direct payments from patients. Since this is a direct care (self pay) clinic, I usually cannot see patients on Medicare or Masshealth (Medicaid) at this clinic, unless they have a sponsor who can cover the cost of the visit (or part of the cost, if the patient qualifies for a Headway Neurology scholarship). Patients with Medicare or Masshealth (Medicaid) are always eligible to see me at my hospital-based clinic.

Meet Dr. Lester Leung

Hi, I'm Lester. At Headway Neurology, I'm a Vascular Neurologist (stroke specialist), an expert in young adult stroke, a stroke recovery specialist, and your guide on the road to a better recovery. At my day job, I'm an Academic Neurologist, a clinician-investigator, and a Director of a Comprehensive Stroke Center. I am also the founder of the Stroke and Young Adults (SAYA) program in Boston, MA, and the founder and leader of the SAYA Consortium, a U.S. consortium of academic medical centers and patient advocacy groups aiming to advance the care of young adults with stroke.

I started Headway Neurology to provide a more personal, direct health care experience in a relaxed, warm, home environment. Outside of work, I enjoy playing the guitar (electric and acoustic), singing, practicing martial arts, and introducing my kids to various franchises from my youth (e.g. Star Wars, Star Trek, Pokemon, etc.).

I look forward to working with you!

How do I get started?

To schedule an appointment:

Step 1: Review this page and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) first.

Step 2: If you're comfortable doing so, pre-pay for your visit at the link in the navigation bar above (preferred).

Step 3: Fill out your Patient Intake Forms (New Patient click this link, Follow-up/Established Patient click this link).

Step 4: Schedule an appointment (matching the duration you pre-paid or the amount you plan to pay for at the start of the visit) using Google Calendar. You will be given a link to the Booking Page when you complete the Patient Intake Form.

Step 5: Obtain any relevant medical records and imaging studies (brain and blood vessel imaging studies, aka CT, MRI, CTA, CTV, MRA, MRV). Mail them to Headway Neurology at the address below or bring them to your visit. If you provide me with the hospital name/practice and dates you received care there, I will also place a request to receive those records (at no cost to you).

To schedule an appointment (as a clinician or from a clinic):

Step 1: Fill out the Patient Referral Form: click this link

Step 2: Fax your clinic notes and hospitalization records to Fax: (888) 374-8786, ATTN: Dr. Leung

Schedule a free meet-and-greet video call now!

Not sure if Headway Neurology and direct care (self pay) is for you?

Let's talk! You are welcome to schedule a free 10 minute video conference with me to learn more about this practice and how I can help you. Click here to schedule your free introductory video conference.

Stroke Recovery Expertise

Deficits, symptoms, and late complications that I address with targeted and advanced treatments: