Lori Benson

Breast Cancer Survivor
Fourteen months after giving birth to her daughter Talula, Lori Benson--a filmmaker living in downtown Manhattan-- was relishing life and motherhood when a single phone call changed her life forever. It was her doctor; calling after a routine check up; the diagnosis was stage two breast cancer; and surgery was imperative. The changes in her life and those around her are as abrupt as the initial call. With only ten days between diagnosis and surgery Lori made critical medical decisions as well as dealt with great emotional concerns. She went through a year of breast cancer treatment and surgeries and came out the other side with a kind of grace and courage she didn't realize she had. Therein lies the unexpected gift that cancer brought to her.

Filmmaker
Lori believed that there must be some purpose, something positive to extract, something to be gained from what is about to happen to her. Within days of her diagnosis, Lori's husband and friends began videotaping her and the camera soon became an invisible yet pervasive presence in her life. The major moments and tiny details of her experience as a woman, a daughter, a friend and a new mother going through breast cancer, were all recorded. From the tender moments shared with her daughter, Talula, the documentary Dear Talula came into being.

International Speaker
Lori charms an audience with her ability to connect in a personable and organic way. Her natural, witty, uplifting, easy-going style engages both patients and health care professionals alike. Though her film explores an American woman's experience, it translates easily across cultures and has sparked invitations to present at the All Ireland Cancer Consortium and the International Union Against Cancer in Switzerland.

2008 Freddie Award Winner & Short Listed for an Oscar
Dear Talula aired on HBO's Cinemax Reel Lives Series in 2007. Her directorial debut, won the best short documentary award at the Ashland Independent Film Festival and also screened at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival and the 2006 Lunafest and winner of the 2008 FREDDIE Award.

Media Appearances
Lori appeared on The View with Whoopi Goldberg to share her story and inspire women to do breast self-examinations and have regular clinical breast examins. She has also been featured in articles in MAMM Magazine, The Huffington Post, The NY Times, Caring for Cancer, and Beliefnet.com.

Cancer Update
After the premiere of Dear Talula, Lori discovered two little lumps in scar tissue under her arm during a breast self-examination. The local recurrence was judged curable; she received stronger chemotherapy and radiation. She lost her hair, which had not happened in her first treatment cycle. Lori had to prepare Talula, who by then was 4 years old, for what was going to happen to mommy's appearance. In sympathy, the child said she wanted to cut her own long hair. "Now I know from losing my hair that it is, for sure, the hardest part in terms of maintaining your sense of normal. I went through so much to stay normal-looking," Lori says, laughing at the recollection.

During this time, to further reduce the risk of a cancer recurrence, Lori made the tough decision to have her ovaries removed. "Taking my ovaries out, for me, was a hard thing to do, but I felt empowered in making that decision, knowing that it could make a difference in my survival," Lori says. Another benefit of that decision: meant she could take an estrogen-blocking medication given to postmenopausal women to suppress potential cancer growth triggered by the hormone estrogen.

A Breast Cancer Story: An intimate Conversation
Imagine your own personal screening of the award-winning HBO documentary film, Dear Talula (32 minutes), followed by an intimate conversation with Lori Benson, cancer survivor and filmmaker.

What makes this program truly unique is that the audience follows Lori "day one" of her diagnosis: from the complicated and often confusing medical choices, doctors visits, surgeries, chemotherapy, her search for alternative therapies, to the tender moments with family and friends. Lori boldly and artistically tells her story as a cinematic letter to her then 14-month -old daughter Talula, who has a 50% chance of carrying the same gene.

Lori delivers a heart-warming and often humorous view of her cancer journey that both educates and inspires. She is a fiesty New Yorker with lots of choices to make. We see the heartbreaking moment when she can no longer breastfeed Talula post-surgery, as well as the hilarious taxi conversation she has with her husband over the discovery of a Playboy magazine in his office (he claims he bought it for her to help her choose her new breasts, she in disbelief, is convinced he's got a subscription...)

Her documentary offers the kind of insight missing in a platform speech as the audience 'watches' her breast cancer journey every step of the way. Lori is seen as a friend, daughter, sister, mother... and this level of intimacy lays the ground work for a powerful, warm, lively and interactive, story-sharing presentation.

Whether speaking to cancer survivors, doctors, community organizations or family members, Lori and her film. Dear Talula, bring people together in real dialogue.

It has also been called a "gift" to support survivors as they find their way through treatment; and an aid for family members and caregivers to better understand cancer from the patient's point of view. As an outreach program, it offers education for women on the importance of breast health and it creates a supportive forum for women to share the issues they face.

Lori's presentation may include clips or a full screening. To preview the HBO Trailer,go to http://www.deartalula.com/trailer.html

No additional materials are available for this speaker.