Hello friendly faces! It’s a new Chicago North Shore Moms spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law. This week we are so excited to introduce you to a Wilmette mama and breast cancer survivor founder of Liv & Let, a community and information hub for people impacted by cancer, Lauren Lopriore.
As a cancer survivor, Lauren has transformed her very personal experience into a mission to empower and support others through Liv & Let, a breast cancer support hub, and Giv Shoppe, a curated collection of thoughtful care crates that serve the care of those going through cancer. Lauren’s story is one of resilience, community, and a commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. Lauren’s resilience can be traced back to her mantra: slowing down with intentional breathing and dance like noone’s watching, a philosophy she shares with others navigating the busy seasons of life. In our exclusive interview, Lauren shares her journey from city living to suburban life, and her passion for creating meaningful connections and support systems for those impacted by cancer. We are so very pleased to be sharing this warm and kind human with you all. Welcome, Lauren!
Hi Lauren! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Hi, I’m Lauren Lopriore, a Chicago native originally from the west suburb of Downers Grove. After attending University of Dayton, go flyers, I moved to New York City where I met my husband. I spent 7 years living in various neighborhoods of Manhattan, before relocating with my husband to Chicago after our wedding (which we had in Chicago). We spent 10 years living downtown Chicago (River North and Roscoe Village). It was a big change for us city dwellers, but 2 years ago we decided we were ready for the suburbs. It only took us a few weeks to fall in love with our neighborhood in Wilmette!
I have two bright and beautiful children. My daughter is 6 years old and my son is 1.5. You’ll find them both enjoying nature, playing outside, singing and dancing, and being creative. If my daughter isn’t trying to play with my son in the play kitchen it’s my son trying to play with dolls with my daughter!
What are one or two fun facts to know about you?
I am certified in SCUBA
I can roll my tongue into a shell
LOL! What are your favorite local places, spaces and eats to frequent?
Wow this is a tough question to answer. I love exploring and trying new places, but also frequenting my favorites.
I love getting my tea and pastries from Central Station in Wilmette or if I’m running errands from Three Tarts in Northfield. For breakfast or a snack, Bright Bowls in Highland Park or Egg Harbor (any location). For lunch, Madame Zuzus in Highland Park, Town and Oak in Winnetka and Koya and Buck Russells in Wilmette. If I’m able to get a sitter and have a date night, Tocco or Spirit Elephant in Winnetka, Le Colonial in Lake Forest and Space in Evanston for a show! If it’s all 4 of us, we enjoy an outside table at The Lawn so that my daughter and husband can putt a few golf balls and my son can run around on the grass.
Any good reads or shows you want us to get going on?
I just finished Shrinking, Only Murders In the Building and High Potential. I’m catching up on The Bear and I am looking forward to watching a few Hallmark holiday movies! I am a cable fan – The Rookie (anyone ever watch Castle?), Abbott Elementary and Found.
I enjoy reading and wish I took more time to do so. I recently finished If I Stay by Gayle Forman and I’ve been reading In Order to Live by Maryanne Vollers and Yeonmi Park. And currently I’m finishing up How to Be the Love You Seek by Nicole LaPerla. I look forward to starting to read, Wicked.
What’s one piece of professional advice you’ve gotten OR that you give to others?
“There are 100 water companies. There are always going to be other businesses like yours. You and your story are what set you apart.” – Eric Lopriore (the most amazing and supportive husband).
So, so true! Your mantra?
Just Breath! In 7, hold for 4 and out for 8. It’s amazing what breathwork can do for your nervous system. I wish I knew this years ago! Also, I’m working on living up to “dance like noone is watching.”
Let’s get down to business. Tell us all about Liv & Let. What is it, when did you start it?
You’ve been given the news (diagnosis, genetic mutation), now what? Your head is spinning, treatment regimens are being thrown at you, your feeling anxiety like you’ve never felt before. Where do you turn? Your doctors, your parents, your friends, your siblings? Who is going to be there to support you, to care for you, to help you each day with all that you need? It’s not an easy road ahead. Through personal experience and research I have connected with the best of the best out there supporting cancer patients, breast cancer, young adults (AYA), those impacted by cancer and those looking to reduce their risk.
Liv & Let is a breast cancer support and information hub. We create space, share resources, tell our stories and support one another. In sharing my story as a young adult cancer survivor, I am creating space to empower others impacted by breast cancer including previvors, survivors and caregivers.
Giv Shoppe, Liv and Let’s sister company, began a few years later curating care crates. The online one-stop-shop curates wholesome gifts and goods. I prioritize clean, organic and thoughtful items and love supporting small businesses founded by survivors, women and families!
What products do you feature?
Giv Shoppe features gifts and goods to not only support those battling illness, recovering from treatment, or simply in need of some extra love and support, but enhance a holistic lifestyle. Gifts are bundled to focus on a specific area in need including skincare, suncare, haircare, wellness and selfcare. Our mission is to support those in the cancer and mental health communities so we will always feature gifts for someone who doesn’t know what to do to support a loved one impacted by a serious illness. We curate and provide premade bundles for those who have been diagnosed, are going through treatment, having surgery, completing radiation and are celebrating milestones.
What was the impetus behind starting Liv & Let.
In September of 2014, I found a lump under my arm and on my right breast. It took until February of 2015 to be diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer; estrogen, progesterone, and Her-2 positive. I would later find out I was also positive for the BRCA (breast cancer) gene. My treatment regimen moved forward quickly. Before I started I went through IVF (In Vetro Fertilization) to save my eggs before they would be destroyed by chemo. I then went through 6 intense chemotherapy treatments, a 12 month treatment targeting the HER2 positive cells, a double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery, and completed 30 rounds of radiation.
A year from my diagnosis, I completed my treatment and entered into survivorship. I had completed all of my treatments and surgery, however now came the everyday worrying of what to do next. I would see my oncologist every 3 months for checkups, but there would be no more scans, no more chemo treatments, no more surgeries and no more visits to the radiologist. How would I make sure that it didn’t come back? Survivorship to me, would end up being the most difficult part of all.
In December of 2017, a few years after being diagnosed, I received a note from a high school friend a month after another friend called to inform me of her breast cancer diagnosis. This was also about 5 months after a friend reached out asking if I would be open to talking about my experience with a friend of hers that was just diagnosed with breast cancer. All young adult women! What was happening? Was it something in the Chicago drinking water? (only kidding). I wanted to do something. I wanted to create a space for those who would receive a cancer diagnosis to find and have resources at their fingertips, a community to connect with and a way to talk to someone who had been in their shoes. I would soon find out that creating Liv & Let was just as healing for myself as it was for others.
Giv started a few years later from a brainstorm with my husband New Years Day 2017. I shared that I wanted to do something tangible for those diagnosed with cancer. I wanted to start my own business after many jobs just not feeling right. I have always loved giving gifts for birthdays, new homes, holidays and more. Finding new products, companies and places brings me joy and excitement and I love sharing them with others.I also recalled what a special and thoughtful gift I received from my aunt and I wanted to curate gifts like that for others. It took some time to get the idea formed and the partnerships started, but when the wheels started turning and I started to connect with survivor owned, woman owned and family owned businesses, the caring crate business started to take form.
It’s tough to know how to support someone going through a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and your resource beautifully guides those going through it and the friends and family members who are affected. What’s one or two pieces of advice you can give someone going through breast cancer as well as advice to this person’s friends and family members?
A cancer diagnosis is difficult for all. If you haven’t been in someone’s shoes it’s not easy what it’s like to be a cancer patient or a caregiver. Living on both sides of cancer has its own hardships.
To the cancer patient, you have no idea the road that is ahead of you so I implore you to look for a support group or a buddy to walk through it with you. You may have no idea what to ask for so let the group or the buddy help you with that. It’s ok if you feel like you could use help to ask for it. It’s not your responsibility though to ask, you have enough going on. If you aren’t able to find someone right away to support you, consider therapy or finding a local organization in the cancer community. You may feel like you are alone at times, but you are not.
To friends and family members, it can be scary to learn your loved one has cancer and maybe be tough for you to be around them, but don’t stay quiet. Tell them that it’s hard for you to see them going through their illness and you don’t know what to say. You can be a good listener! Please be considerate, sensitive and let them know you are there for them. Consider doing research on what you can do to support them. You may not know what to do, but there are resources (livandlet.com) and many times a text, card or phone call can make a huge difference!
What else would you like us to know about Liv & Let?
Liv & Let is for those impacted by cancer, but also those who want to learn more about women’s health and reducing your risk of breast cancer. 90% of breast cancer isn’t genetic so it’s important to learn about early detection, communicate about family health history and prioritize your selfcare. No one is perfect and sometimes the healthiest person can be confronted with a serious illness, but it can’t hurt to try and get more informed.
No one is perfect and we are not forcing you to completely change your lifestyle with the products sold in Giv Shoppe, but to be more of an introduction to clean and natural products. Even if a few items are added to your routine, you may find that you really like it. You never know until you try it.
Ways we give back:
- All Survivors, Thrivers & Caregivers, sign up for the Liv & Let newsletter and receive a special discount code to receive 10% each time you shop with Giv Shoppe!
- A percentage of proceeds from the Giv Shoppe will be donated to charities empowering the breast cancer, cancer and mental health communities through research, education and care.
Beyond our yearly giving initiative, we look for opportunities to bring love, support and delight to one individual a month by sending a donated care kit to a nominated member or partner of the Liv & Let community.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us and for passing it forward – you’re helping so many with your vulnerability and communities. Tell us how we can keep in touch!
You can visit my Liv & Let and Giv Shoppe by heading over the websites https://www.livandlet.com/ and https://www.givshoppe.com/. And see what’s new on Instagram: Liv & Let and Giv Shoppe.
