Press Room
October 8, 2009
Lauren's Light improv comedy show helps in fight against cancer
An improv fundraiser for young cancer families honors the late Lauren Feinswog Millin, an '86 Palmetto High graduate who went on to the Ivy League.
BY DONNA GEHRKE-WHITE
dgehrke@MiamiHerald.com
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Lauren Feinswog Millin who died of cancer at age 33.
A nonprofit, Lauren's Light, has been set up in her honor.
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Lauren Feinswog Millin was just 33 when she died of cancer.
But her life inspired many to take on a cause -- helping young families cope when a parent has cancer.
Her family and friends helped start the nonprofit Lauren's Light, whose executive office is based in Coconut Grove with another office in South Miami.
On Thursday, the nonprofit will hold an improv fundraiser: The jokes will flow for a serious cause.
Lauren's Light will produce Lighten Up Thursday at the Miami Improv Comedy Club in Coconut Grove. It will be hosted by author and comedian Andrea Askowitz.
``I hold a special place in my heart for this function as Lauren was one of my childhood best friends,'' said Askowitz, who wrote My Miserable, Lonely, Lesbian Pregnancy. ``Sadly, Lauren lost her fight against a very rare cancer at the tender age of 33, just six months after delivering her second child.''
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Lisa Landry and Mo Mandel will share in the spotlight, donating their opening night to Lauren's Light to raise money for families battling cancer. Landry has starred in a half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents Lisa Landry, while Mandel is a regular on Chelsea Lately.
Millin's mother, Malvina Feinswog, said it would have been just like her late daughter to start a nonprofit to help others. So family and friends formed Lauren's Light to honor her memory.
``We feel she is working with us every step of the way,'' Feinswog said.
After all, her daughter, a 1986 Palmetto High graduate, eventually earned a master's from Columbia University in running a nonprofit.
``She was very bright. Very bright,'' Feinswog said, adding that her daughter was accepted at Ivy League's University of Pennsylvania where she graduated magna cum laude.
Millin was having a difficult second pregnancy when doctors discovered she had cancer. ``It was a shock to everybody,'' her mother remembered. She died in 2001, and her family started Lauren's Light the year after.
Its mission: ``To share Lauren's love through Lauren's Light, enabling Lauren's essence to continue to shine, comfort and inspire.''
Today, her family has united to run Lauren's Light, including her widower Anthony Millin, her mother and her father Ben Feinswog. Her older son Joshua is now 11; Matthew is 8.
Having gone through Millin's cancer, the family knows the trauma and heartache other families endure.
Their nonprofit provides free counseling and other services to young families struggling to help a parent with cancer.
It can be daunting: Families already struggling to help their young children also have to concentrate on learning about cancer and its treatments.
``Just imagine going through that with a young family,'' Malvina Feinswog said. ``You don't have the leisure to be sick.''
Lauren's Light helps cancer patients and families obtain educational materials and available treatment options.
``We do it all through donations,'' Feinswog said.
Tickets can be purchased at the door the day of the show for $60. The Miami Improv Comedy Club is 3390 Mary St. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to make a donation, call 305-740-5287 or visit www.laurenslight.org.
2009 Annual Letter to Friends
December 1, 2009
Dear Friends,
Each year, cancer strikes over 3,500,000 U.S. families with children under 18. The rate is alarming and reportedly growing. And no one knows this better than our own family.
Lauren’s Light continues to serve its mission to empower families with young children in which a parent has been diagnosed with cancer – by providing caring and support that makes a difference! Perhaps stated best by a Lauren’s Light clinician, “As our country continues to experience high cancer rates and a declining economy, the services of Lauren’s Light are invaluable. Families are experiencing extreme emotional and financial hardships. Lauren’s Light not only addresses these critical needs, but specifically addresses a heart wrenching gap in service by focusing on the needs of the children who have a parent or loved one battling cancer.” K. Campbell, Ph.D.
The primary services that Lauren’s Light continues to provide – always free to the families, thanks to your support – include:
- counseling/therapy for the entire family – the parent/cancer patient, spouse, and children
- information about individual diagnoses, treatment options, and clinical trials
- assistance with family support and social services
- referrals to pro bono legal and insurance resources
- homework helper for the children
- wigs for hair loss resulting from chemotherapy
The feedback from families that we serve has been rewarding. Their stories are best conveyed in their own words:
"Thanks to Lauren’s Light, my daughter and I are taking life one day at a time and moving forward together as a family. Lauren’s Light has truly helped me deal with my daughter’s questions that she has had due to her daddy having cancer and passing away. Lauren’s Light was there for us when we really needed it; I hope this service continues for other families in need. Thank you for caring for both of us." B.P.
"When I learned about Lauren’s Light, I wasn’t doing very well; I was depressed, overwhelmed and very scared. My worst fear was ‘what is going to happen to my family, to my children, especially to my 13 year old daughter, Nicholle.’ I have seen so many incredible changes in her since. I now know that she will be OK if there comes a time that she will be without me. This was only possible thanks to the generosity of Lauren’s Light. I cannot express what this means to me, for this I am for ever thankful." F.R.
"I received a phone call from someone offering me help. I could not believe it. I was so shocked that someone wanted to actually help me. That someone cared enough to want to help my children. You have been the light at a time of darkness, a voice of comfort and ears of wisdom and patience." M.R.
We invite you to visit our recently-enhanced website, www.laurenslight.org. Soon we will complete a special video that includes testimonials from some of our families, therapists, partners, and volunteers, as well as other features we think you will find interesting.
We hope you will view it and feel proud to help make such a difference in people’s lives.
In 2010, we will also be initiating an inspiring newsletter to update everyone about what’s happening at Lauren’s Light. As we will be emailing the newsletter, we would appreciate your sending us your email address – either through our website or with an email to info@laurenslight.org – so we can be sure you are included in the distribution.
Thanks to the generous donations we have received from you, over the last two years Lauren’s Lighthas added over 40 collaborative partners, 16 new counselors and therapists, and 12 volunteers – and most importantly has helped over 35 families, including over 70 kids.
In order to continue to provide its services, to help more families, and to open a path through the darkness of living with cancer not just for the patients but for their children and spouses as well, Lauren’s Light is in need of your financial support more than ever. We ask you to dig deep into your hearts and your pockets to allow Lauren’s Light to continue helping these families desperate for support and with nowhere else to turn.
For our friends who have contributed in prior years, we are very grateful and would like to thank you once again for your generous donations; we look forward to your continuing interest and support. For new friends, we invite you to join the Lauren’s Light family of contributors. Your donations this year will allow us to increase the number of families Lauren’s Light will be able to call to offer help. Tax-deductible donations can be made in your name or in memory or honor of friends and loved ones. You can help keep Lauren’s Light bright! Please send your donation in the enclosed envelope or make a secure donation online through our website.
We wish you and your loved ones Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year.
With gratitude and warmest regards,
Ben Feinswog, Chairman & Founder
Spotlight Newsletter - Issue 1
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Dear Friends and Family,
In an effort to bring you closer to our work with Lauren’s Light, we welcome you to our first Lauren’s Light newsletter, “Spotlight.”
This has been a year of growth, reevaluation and learning. We bid a fond farewell to our executive director, Andrea Vinard, who has moved on to another non-profit job but continues to volunteer her valuable time to Lauren’s Light. Our program director, Mallory Probst, has been doing a fabulous job working with Lauren’s Light’s families and running our office.
The most exciting addition has been a growing group of very dedicated volunteers who are involved not only with fundraising, but also with community outreach, office help and even this newsletter. We owe them all a deep debt of gratitude. In this and future newsletters, we will be spotlighting some of these dedicated volunteers so you can get an idea of who they are and how valuable they are to Lauren’s Light. Our intention is to do the same with our growing group of therapists and our partner groups that we work with throughout the year.
We hope this newsletter brings you closer to the work we do. Our wish is for you and your loved ones to never need our services, but to know of us, share in our wonderful work and support those families who hold on to us as one of their lifelines.
Ben and I, and our Lauren’s Light family of professionals, volunteers and partners wish you and yours a very happy and healthy New Year.
In Light,
Mal Feinswog
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Miami Herald-Oct. 8, 2009
by Donna Gehrke-White
Lauren Feinswog Millin was just 33 when she died of cancer.
But her life inspired many to take on a cause -- helping young families cope when a parent has cancer.
Her family and friends helped start the nonprofit Lauren's Light, whose executive office is based in South Miami.
On Thursday, the nonprofit will hold an improv fundraiser: The jokes will flow for a serious cause. Lauren's Light will produce Lighten Up Thursday at the Miami Improv Comedy Club in Coconut Grove. It will be hosted by author and comedian Andrea Askowitz.
“I hold a special place in my heart for this function as Lauren was one of my childhood best friends,'' said Askowitz, who wrote My Miserable, Lonely, Lesbian Pregnancy. ``Sadly, Lauren lost her fight against a very rare cancer at the tender age of 33, just six months after delivering her second child.”
Millin's mother, Malvina Feinswog, said it would have been just like her late daughter to start a nonprofit to help others. So family and friends formed Lauren's Light to honor her memory. “We feel she is working with us every step of the way,'' Feinswog said.
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After all, her daughter, a 1986 Palmetto High graduate, eventually earned a master's from Columbia University in running a nonprofit.
Millin was having a difficult second pregnancy when doctors discovered she had cancer. She died in 2001, and her family started Lauren's Light the year after.
Today, her family has united to run Lauren's Light, including her widower, Anthony Millin, her mother and her father, Ben Feinswog. Her older son, Joshua, is now 11; Matthew is 8.
Having gone through Millin's cancer, the family knows the trauma and heartache other families endure.
Their nonprofit provides free counseling and other services to young families struggling to help a parent with cancer. It can be daunting: Families already struggling to help their young children also have to concentrate on learning about cancer and its treatments.
“Just imagine going through that with a young family,'' Malvina Feinswog said. “You don't have the leisure to be sick.'' Lauren's Light helps cancer patients and families obtain educational materials and available treatment options.
“We do it all through donations,'' Feinswog said.
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Testimonial
Young or old, the grief of losing a parent is devastating. When my mother was dying of cancer, I felt like a boat set adrift on a stormy sea. After she passed away, music died for me. I couldn't listen to music for a very long time. Then I met Mal and Ben, who introduced me to Lauren's Light. It is said that everything happens for a reason and I believe that volunteering for Lauren's Light helped me to complete the grieving process. It allowed me to open my heart while helping others. Fund raising with a team of talented and dedicated individuals taught me to celebrate all their collective strengths while working for a worthy cause. Volunteering for Lauren's Light has been a tremendous healing and sharing experience. The people, who I now call friends, have embraced me as I have embraced them and finally, the music has begun again. KW, Volunteer
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