Lia Lee (Romanized Popular Alphabet: Liab Lis,[4] July 19, 1982 – August 31, 2012.[5]): a Hmong child born in Merced, California, in 1982. Beginning in infancy, Lia experiences severe seizures due to Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.
Anne Fadiman: author and narrator of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, writing about her experience with Lia and her family. Throughout the story, she stresses the importance of cultural competence in the doctor-patient relationship (and in the greater medical establishment).
Neil Ernst and Peggy Philp: Lia’s primary care doctors at MCMC. Throughout the story, they clash with Lia's parents, whose adherence to Hmong shamanism conflicts deeply with their own beliefs about Western medicine. Despite the good intentions of Ernst, Philp, and Lia's parents, significant miscommunication and disagreement cause Lia permanent harm.
Foua Yang and Nao Kao Lee: Lia’s parents, who believe fervently in the traditional Hmong approach to medicine.
Jeanine Hilt: a social worker who makes Lia her personal cause and fights on Lia’s behalf. She is presented as one of the few members of the American medical establishment willing to acknowledge Hmong tradition and tailor treatment to Lia's case.[6][7]
