Sometimes the harder you fall, the stronger you rise.

Lauren Clancy.

Obvious beauty. Hidden strength.

Kara Dolce and Lauren Clancy were great friends for many years. They grew up together in a small town in New Jersey, were softball teammates, friends within the same group and always enjoyed make-up, clothes and fashion. The girls drifted after college as some friends do, but one night at a Christmas party in 2012, Kara heard that Lauren had just been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – on the same anniversary of Kara’s  breast cancer diagnosis. She was devastated for Lauren.  Though she hadn’t talked to Lauren in quite some time, she immediately needed to reach out. Kara knew what Lauren was up against and wanted to do what she could to be there for her…to inevitably pass on her strength.

That night, Kara contacted Lauren and their friendship immediately rekindled.

There is no denying that Lauren is a natural beauty. In fact, she has even had her hand in modeling. Let’s face it – she’s gorgeous! But for any woman, going through chemotherapy, surgery and the emotional after-effects of cancer, challenges them to feel strong and beautiful during the most trying time of their life. This was no different for Lauren. Her scars made her angry, scared and upset. Her hair loss was a blow to her confidence.

Kara and Lauren would talk weekly – sometimes daily – to remind Lauren she was strong enough to get through this. That there was light at the end of this tunnel and she was going to come out the other end feeling smarter, stronger and even more beautiful than before. She was a warrior! She was a fighter! And she looked gorgeous doing it. She was truly Fighting Pretty.

Lauren pushed through her treatments and with each passing appointment, she felt herself coming back to life. She was growing as a woman, and at our Fighting Pretty photo-shoot, her light shined through. Her hair was just growing back in, and the short pixie hairdo only accentuated her gorgeous face – here you could focus on her natural beauty.  You could look into her eyes and see her inner strength sparkle.

Currently, Lauren got an amazing new job, has recently modeled for Curves The Book by Victoria Janashvili (out this spring), got her own fabulous apartment in Hoboken, NJ and is living life with power in her veins and hope in heart. Lauren fell hard, but she is stronger than ever before. 

Lauren Clancy is Fighting Pretty.

Photo Credit: William Philbin