FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2024
Living LFS, a non-profit supporting families with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), announces its Jennifer Mallory Family Camp August 23-26, 2024 at Flying Horse Farms in Mt. Gilead, Ohio.
LFS is a rare genetic condition that burdens those affected with a 70-90% lifetime risk of developing cancer. Children with LFS are heavily impacted, as half of LFS cancers are diagnosed before the age of 30.
Named for Living LFS founder Jennifer Mallory, who passed from metastatic breast cancer in 2020 at the age of 44, this biannual camp offers LFS families and individuals a chance to learn, connect, and find support from others who understand their unique struggles.
Breakout sessions led by expert medical, genetic, and psychosocial clinicians will focus on managing life with LFS, grief, diet and healthcare, and more. An estimated 120 members of the LFS community will also enjoy fun activities like zip lining, swimming, and a talent show.
Award-winning author Lawrence Ingrassia, whose family has been deeply impacted by Li-Fraumeni syndrome, will join the camp for a Q&A and book signing for camp participants in attendance on August 24th beginning at 11am.
Ingrassia's new book, A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery, has garnered national attention, featuring on major news programs like MSNBC's Morning Joe and NPR's Weekend Edition, as well as in publications like The Washington Post and The Boston Globe.
"We're thrilled to welcome Lawrence Ingrassia to our family camp,” said Living LFS president, Andi Last. “His book offers a powerful and relatable perspective for our families, and his visit provides a unique opportunity to connect with someone who truly understands their challenges."
Learn more and interview camp organizers, LFS families in attendance, and author Lawrence Ingrassia by contacting Andi Last at andi@livinglfs.org.
Lawrence Ingrassia is an award-winning author and business journalist. His first book, Billion Dollar Brand Club, was selected by the New York Times Book Review as an Editor's Choice on March 1, 2020. Ingrassia has worked as a senior editor at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. In his decades-long newspaper career, journalists working for him won five Pulitzer Prizes as well as Polk, Loeb and other awards. He was honored with the Minard editor award by the Gerald Loeb Awards for directing coverage of causes of the financial market meltdown in the fall of 2008; that coverage was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in the public service category. The Society of American Business Editors and Writers gave him its distinguished achievement award in 2017. Learn more at larryingrassia.com
Flying Horse Farms (FHF) is a medical specialty camp that provides healing and transformative experiences for kids with serious illnesses and their families. Located in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, FHF provides year-round and summer programming including week-long residential summer camps and family camp weekends for kids and young adults ages 7-21 and their families, with diagnoses including cancer, heart conditions, rheumatologic diagnosis, blood disorders, lung conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, craniofacial diagnoses, spinal cord diagnoses and internalized mental health diagnoses (anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, mood disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder for campers ages 11-15). Learn more at flyinghorsefarms.org
Living LFS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to encourage, empower, and educate those living with Li-Fraumeni syndrome by connecting them with care, resources, and others who are Living LFS. Learn more at livinglfs.org
