A Powerful Sisterhood of Support
In 2012, You Night Founder Lisa McKenzie set out to create a program for women diagnosed with cancer based on one simple principle: “We truly are stronger when we unite together.” After witnessing the hardships that two of her friends endured after they were diagnosed, Lisa created a program for women that incorporates creative therapies that help women heal and find strength.
You Night partners with area hospitals and physicians who refer women into You Night’s year-round programs. Physicians simply do not have the time during routine office visits to address the critical need of emotional healing. Relying on a great team of physicians and a tribe of support that creates a healthy
mind-set is crucial to positive health outcomes. The programs that You Night offers allow women of every type of cancer and every age, size, shape, ethnicity and socio-economic situation to come together to find inner healing.
You Night Programs
You Night programs include their signature Runway Empowerment Program, “ScART” – You Night’s Scar Art Painting Experience, and You Night’s new program called “Story Crafting” that just won the Astellas Oncology International C3Prize Award. This program is a six-week virtual small group experience where participants deconstruct a traumatic experience and reconstruct it into a powerful story and life anthem.
These stories will be shared on the Facebook page “You Night Empowering Events” during October and November and will be published in You Night’s runway magazine to be distributed at the runway show on January 15. All of the participants’ ScART paintings will also be on display, where art is used as a tool to see scars through a different lens. All of You Night’s programs have tools for women to utilize so they can be reminded of their worth and their incredible perseverance, instead of letting the disease define them.
Friendships Forged for a Lifetime
Cancer can be overcome. Hundreds of women have joined the You Night sisterhood, where friendships that are forged last a lifetime. In January 2022 at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center in Metairie, over 100 women from St. Tammany and New Orleans will take the stage to celebrate what they have achieved through this sisterhood. We invite the community to come cheer for these incredible women who – despite the pandemic and the recent hurricane – are stronger than ever. You Night’s programs are made possible through sponsorship and donations to the WE LIFT YOU UP fund, a 501c3 public charity whose mission is to help women embrace life beyond a cancer diagnosis. We strongly encourage anyone who is reading this to consider buying a ticket to the January 15 event, or to make a donation of any amount to help keep these programs thriving for women in our community who are looking for support.
Reach Out
If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to the You Night team at teamyounight@gmail.com. If you are a woman diagnosed with cancer or, if you are still struggling with the aftermath of the disease even after being told “no evidence of disease,” the You Night Team encourages you to reach out by calling
877-591-5936, ext. 1. You Night also has a private Facebook Group called “SOAR – Sisters of Amazing Resiliency” where women can find additional support. You Night thanks our Title Sponsor–Center for Restorative Breast Surgery, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Ochsner Cancer Center, St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Pontchartrain Cancer Center, Dr. Celeste LaGarde, Tulane Health Systems, Dr. Ravi Tandon, Dr. Martha Stewart Dermatology, LOPA (Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency) and many other supporters for helping make these programs possible. A list of these sponsors can be found on the You Night website: younightevents.com. Follow You Night on Instagram @younight_runway.
