A Luncheon with Dr. Linda Olson and her book 'Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life'

The Friends of the Central Library cordially invite you to a fundraising luncheon with best-selling author and motivational speaker Dr. Linda K. Olson and her book Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back my Life. Linda and her husband, Dave Hodgens, were young doctors vacationing in Germany when a train hit their van, shattering their lives—and Linda’s body.

Prepare to be mesmerized!

You will never forget Dr. Olson’s presentation! She is a hero among us who refused to allow her tragic accident and the ensuing disability limit her life. Gone tells how perseverance helped her to become one of the most successful women of San Diego, raise a family, and enjoy the best outdoor experiences.

Visit the Friends website for tickets and registration. All proceeds will go to support the San Diego Central Library.

As a triple amputee, Dr. Olson learned to walk with prostheses and change diapers and insert IVs with one hand. She and Dave pursued their dream careers and traveled the world. Deeply moving and inspiring, Gone asks readers to find not only courage but also laughter in the unexpected challenges we all face in life.

More about the Author

Dr. Olson is Professor Emerita of Radiology at UCSD and a graduate of Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Following a CT Fellowship at UCSD, she joined the faculty in the Department of Radiology where she worked for thirty years. She was director of Breast Imaging for twenty years and also a member of the thoracic imaging section. Some of her many awards include: Marie Curie Award of the American Association of Women Radiologists 1991; Honored Alumna Loma Linda University School of Medicine 1994; UCSD Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Award 1996; Rell Sunn “Queen of Makaha” Award, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, 2007; San Diego County’s 2011 Physicians of Exceptional Excellence “Top Doctors” Award; Loma Linda University School of Medicine “Women in Courage” Award 2012; and UCSD Department of Radiology Lifetime Achievement Award 2012.