In Memory of Lisa Laudico
Our hearts are overflowing with both grief and gratitude as we ramp up production on the fifth season of Our MBC Life. On August 6, Lisa Laudico, the creator and driving force behind the podcast series, died peacefully at the age of 56, surrounded by her family. It is a profound loss for the MBC community, felt nowhere more keenly than among the Our MBC Life team and SHARE staff and volunteers. But even as we mourn, we are grateful for the comfort and inspiration we find in Lisa’s amazing legacy.
“Lisa was a natural leader, and her passion for raising diverse voices and uniting those living with MBC was infectious,” says close friend Victoria Goldberg, founder of SHARE’s TalkMets Helpline and Lisa’s co-host and co-producer on Our MBC Life. “Her vision for the future was that a giant spotlight needs to shine on metastatic breast cancer research to change the outcomes of this disease, and her belief in our mission never wavered. Her beautiful voice will live on in the old episodes, and the podcast team will strive to continue to make her vision a reality.”
Diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer in 2017, Lisa was the 4th generation in her family to have breast cancer, but the first to be diagnosed at Stage 4. She met this challenge with the same passion and unflagging energy that helped fuel her high-powered career in international business, as well as the compassion and love she brought to her second career as a clinical therapist helping young children deal with trauma.
Embodying SHARE’s philosophy that “no one should have to face cancer alone,” Lisa created Our MBC Life at the height of the pandemic to amplify the voices of fellow community members and share their day-to-day realities. As senior producer and host, she invited dozens of people living with MBC to share their stories, and partnered with experts in the field to raise awareness and explore solutions to challenges. With episodes covering everything from racial disparities in treatment for people of color to parenting and working with MBC, it is truly a podcast “for us, by us.”
Lisa was also a resolute volunteer for organizations like The Cancer Couch Foundation, where she supported fundraising initiatives like the #Reason4FreezinMBC campaign; and for SHARE Cancer Support . As an influential member of the MBC Alliance’sExecutive Group, she played a meaningful role in shaping the organization’s vision. She was a passionate advocate for the movement to allow more crossover in oncology clinical trials, which would permit patients to switch from a control group to experimental treatment; and for expanded access to allow seriously ill patients more access to investigational drugs when other lines of approved treatment are exhausted. These areas of focus are now included in the Alliance’s strategic planning.
Even with her unflagging work ethic, Lisa was a constant and loving presence in the lives of her friends and family. She delighted in spending time with her husband Tony, dog Kita, and two sons Alex and Matthias, who were the lights of her life. From playing games around the kitchen table during the pandemic to skiing and hiking with her sons and visiting extended Canadian family, she took great joy in remaining closely connected to her loved ones.
All of us at Our MBC Life and SHARE miss Lisa every day--her dazzling smile, her infectious warmth, and her unshakeable ability to stay positive, hopeful, courageous, and committed to the vision of a better future for us all. We will share more of her story in our first episode of season 5 in October. In the meantime, thank you, Lisa, for the extraordinary power of your example, and the profound gift of your friendship. This season is dedicated to you.
