Silverthorne Resident Karen Ranieri Launches Breast Cancer Nonprofit After Diagnosis in 2020
“Survivorship is really, really hard,” said Silverthorne resident Karen Ranieri. “There isn’t a playbook for it, and it in some ways is even more difficult than active treatment. … It was very hard as a really healthy, young, active individual to now be out of treatment and try to figure out how to rejoin my life. You can’t rejoin your life. It’s not the same. You’re not the same.”
That’s one of the reasons why she’s launching Lumihealing, a Summit County-based nonprofit she said is “based on creating a space for women with breast cancer to thrive by staying strong with activities that embrace the healing power of snow.”
The nonprofit’s inaugural season will be in 2022. Ranieri’s goal is to host at least three events that are focused on exercising in the snow, whether that’s snowshoeing, sledding or gathering at a local ski resort. For now, the nonprofit will focus on the county, but Ranieri’s vision is to eventually expand to the rest of the state.
Lumihealing isn’t the only resource for people with breast cancer coming online soon. Vail Health’s new medical center in Dillon is set to open in November, which will include a Shaw Cancer Center and Breast Imaging Clinic.
