Friends of Dana-Farber
Friends' Board and Bios
Lauren Emily Frei
Lauren Emily Frei Lauren Emily Frei, co-president of Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute, was born in Boston and now lives in Andover with her
husband, Emil, and their daughters Chelsea and Carly. After
graduating from Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School, Lauren worked
for many years setting up and overseeing site offices for the
nationwide general contractor, Clark Construction. Recently, she
and a friend started a small event planning business, "Silent
Partners."
In l987 while visiting her father-in-law, Dr. Emil Frei III, at
Dana-Farber, Lauren was impressed with the warm environment,
patient care and learning from many people how much Dana-Farber
does for its patients. She volunteered in the Friends Boutique in
1999 and was so moved while fitting a young patient for a wig.
Lauren said, "This sweet little girl was too embarrassed to attend
school and face her friends with her hair falling out, and she came
to the Boutique in tears, but left with a smile on her face." The
Boutique has much to offer cancer patients, and it was rewarding to
be able to reach out and make a difference," said Lauren.
Lauren was honored when Dori Frei, Lauren's mother-in-law and
Friends' Board Member, proposed her for membership. Shortly after
joining the Friends' Board, she became involved with the patient
gift bag program and upon distributing 100 gift bags, she garnered
much appreciation from Dana-Farber patients. Lauren said, "This is
something that I can share with my children as they help assemble
the bags and experience part of what I do for the Friends. Several
months ago we did a Red Sox-theme bag, and my daughters and ten of
their friends made 200 bags."
As vice-president of membership, Lauren sponsored a coffee at
her home, and her guest speaker was someone she met while
delivering gift bags and whose son was being treated for testicular
cancer. She was so touched with the Friends' activities that she
offered to speak about her son's positive experience at
Dana-Farber. Last year, Lauren co-chaired the Friends' 30th
Anniversary Gala with her dear friend and Board Member Cheryl
Eckel. This event was significant because it honored her
father-in-law, Dr. Emil Frei III.
She said, "Every year it has become a family tradition to help
decorate Dana-Farber for the holidays. I have been on the Friend's
Board for four years and am surrounded by Board members with hearts
bigger than one can imagine. I have volunteered with many
organizations, but no one can come close to my "Friends."
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