Our Mission
In partnership with UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center the Foundation established UNC’s AYA Program in 2015 as one of the first in the country with this focus.
Niklaus and Lucy Steiner, founders of the Be Loud! Sophie Foundation, and Lauren Lux, founding director of the UNC AYA program.
We are heartbroken by the death of Eric Montross. We simply would not be where we are without his kindness, generosity, commitment, creativity and humor. He always brought these wonderful traits with him, whether to Be Loud! board meetings or onto the stage at Be Loud! concerts. There are no words to fully express our deep love, admiration and gratitude for him, and we send much love and light to Laura, Andrew and Sarah as we hold them close to our hearts.
To mark the one year anniversary of Eric’s death, Adam Lucas and Jones Angell focused a part of their Carolina Insider podcast on our relationship with Eric and Laura. None of our success would have been possible without them, so we are grateful to Adam and Jones for giving us the opportunity to talk about our bond. You can hear our conversation starting at 37:51 of the podcast.
Our Story
We want to help them maintain their dignity, identity and independence in the face of this overwhelming illness.
The Program
The UNC AYA Cancer Program Team provides unprecedented support to 13- to 39-year-olds at UNC living with cancer, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive AYA programs in the country.
The Latest
In a recent publication, the NCI reports on the research led by Dr. Jake Stein on how the AYA team is successfully addressing health disparities in cancer care among young adults.
We’re pleased to share a new video that spotlights the UNC AYA Program and the Be Loud! Sophie Foundation.
Be Loud! has given us our north star – Sophie’s voice and legacy. Sophie reminds us to focus on the experiences and perspectives of the young people we serve, to learn from each individual, and to take what we’ve learned and use it to make things better for the next patient.
– Lauren Lux, Founding Director of the UNC AYA Program
The Be Loud! Sophie Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
