LAWRENCE CHEUNG

CHEUNG--Dr. Lawrence. Dr. Lawrence Chi Chuen Cheung was a beloved husband, father, public health advocate, researcher and physician leader. Born in Hong Kong on July 14, 1972 to Helena and Eddie Cheung, he moved to New Jersey with his family in 1981. He graduated from Millburn High School in 1990 and Harvard College in 1994, before earning his MD from Columbia University in 1998. He trained in Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) before completing a Dermatology residency at Washington University, St. Louis in 2005. An exceptional private practice dermatologist who also served as the principal investigator for clinical trials, Lawrence was a tireless advocate for the autonomous practice of medicine with a steadfast commitment to public health. He was a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and a mentor and educator at UCSF. In 2014 he was elected President of the San Francisco Marin Medical Society (SFMMS). He served as Chair of the SFMMS Delegation to the California Medical Association (CMA), on the CMA Board of Trustees, and as Delegate to the AMA. In 2022 he fulfilled a lifelong ambition after election to become Vice-Speaker of the CMA House of Delegates. Lawrence tirelessly advocated for health equity in San Francisco's Chinatown community as a SF Health Authority Commissioner, and as a Board Director for the National Council of Asian and Pacific Islander Physicians. While at Columbia, he served as the first national president of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association, through which he met Angela Wong; they married in 1999. Lawrence exemplified what it means to be a physician leader, contributing his boundless energy to the priorities and values of organized medicine. Under his leadership, SFMMS championed trailblazing public health victories to regulate e-cigarettes and sugary beverages and advocated for forward-thinking policies to improve healthcare access for the underserved. As a result of his leadership, the lives of countless Californians have been improved and lengthened. Dr. Cheung passed at home surrounded by the love of his family on July 17, 2023. He is survived by his wife Angela, children Amelia and Aidan, his parents and his sibling Sunny. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would appreciate donations to the "AMA Foundation -- In Memory of Dr. Lawrence Cheung" amafoundation.org/donate to fund scholarships that honor his legacy and passion for medical students to engage in public health care advocacy early in their career.