Bal Harbour

BAL HARBOUR 87 A FORCE FOR GOOD Kinga Lampert's commitment to health and well-being has transformed thousands of lives, including her own. BY MONICA USZEROWICZ PORTRAIT BY GESI SCHILLING "THIS IS A SUBJECT THAT TOUCHES everyone," Kinga Lampert is telling me, her voice bright with hope. For the last 12 years, the philanthropist has been the co-chair of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), founded in 1993 by Evelyn Lauder. It was Lauder's family who asked Lampert to take on a leadership role when Lauder passed away. Now, says Lampert, she's "so close to the research—and very hopeful." The BCRF is the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide. In 2018, the foundation awarded $63 million in grants to support nearly 300 scientists at institutions in 14 countries. "In the last 25 years," she explains, "every >ÀLÀi>ÌÀÕ}>`iÌiwi`ÃÌii`vÀÃViVi supported by the BCRF." Some of these are growing initiatives, like the liquid biopsy—a blood test to test for cancer "before it even appears on imaging or mammogram"—and Oncotype Dx, a test that can determine whether chemotherapy is necessary to reduce the risk of reoccurrence or metastasis (a certain estrogen receptor would mean patients can forgo it). "Early stage breast cancer is today 95 percent curable," Lampert says, "but metastatic breast cancer—the sort that travels to organs and bones—is not. But there are incredible advances to prolong and better the lives of those who have it. This is why I feel we're so close to a cure: perhaps breast cancer will be cured when women can live with it and not lose their lives to it." Lampert loves science, particularly fact-based results. "Maybe that's my lawyer mind," she laughs. Lampert was born in Warsaw and raised in Paris, where she attended law school; her wÀÃÌL>Ì>>ÜwÀÜ>à iÜ9À ÌÞ°-i>`iÀÕÃL>` lived between Connecticut and the city for years—before relocating to Miami—and became close friends with the Lauder family. At the time, Lampert had stopped working to care for her children, and was getting approached by lots of organizations for her input and support. But she wanted to be, so to speak, in the trenches. "What was important to me," she says, "was a working L>À`°``½ÌÜ>ÌÌiyÕvv°ÛiÞ«ÀÃi`iÌÃÃÜ>ÌÌi foundation would be." The Lampert Foundation, Eddie and Kinga Lampert's foundation through which they now support BCRF, also assists lots of local organizations here in Miami. For Lampert personally, health care and education are the most rewarding spheres: she's actively involved with Breakthrough Miami—an academic enrichment program for under-resourced students—Boys & Girls Club, and KIPP Public Charter School network, where she ViÃiÀÛi`ÌiL>À`Üi iÜ9À°-i>ÃÀiViÌÞ took a seat on the board of Miami's Sylvester Cancer Center. Lampert likes to stay busy—returning to work, she tells me, was an emotional boon. It's also her compassion, her love for helping people in real ways, that keeps her going. -iÀiV>ÃvÀi]LÀiyÞ]ÌiiÌ>ƂÀià Ài>ÃÌ >ViÀ "i«>i]ÜV>Õ>ÞyiÃÃÕÀÛÛÀÃ>`vÃÞLV gesture. (Delta is a corporate sponsor of BCRF.) "The plane was packed with survivors hugging, crying, sharing stories. It gives me goosebumps remembering this." It reminded her of how she }ÌÛÛi`ÜÌ ,ÌiwÀÃÌ«>Vi\ºÛi`Ì>Ìvii} of contributing to something good in the world. The statistics are amazingly hopeful. Women are unfortunately still dying, but the numbers are getting better. There are more survivors in the world—more women who, in spite of the disease, live full, normal lives."

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