On Saturday, August 21, 2010, Donna Karan was honored at the Ellen’s Run Gala held by the Ellen Hermanson Foundation for her vision in the field of integrative cancer care for patients and their families.

Fellow honorees Steven Klein and sister, Hope Klein, hosted the event in their Bridgehampton home. Co-chair Christy Brinkley looked amazing in an Urban Zen creation.

Donna was deeply moved by the Ellen Hermanson Foundation’s nomination. Established in 1997, the foundation carries on the important work of journalist Ellen Hermanson, who was a forceful voice for breast cancer patients and their families. Hermanson educated her readers about the importance of early detection, the challenges of living with breast cancer, the very real, but little-discussed or understood issue of pain management, and the debilitating effects of breast cancer on the entire family.

The Ellen Hermanson Foundation primarily serves breast cancer patients on the East End of Long Island where breast cancer diagnosis and mortality rates are among the highest in the state. Urban Zen and Donna Karan are truly honored to have been apart of such an empowering evening.

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Ellen Hermanson Foundation  |  www.ellensrun.org

Urban Zen is excited to be featured in this week's New York Magazine.  Both the screening of "The Big C" and Super Saturday aligned with our well-being initiative. We are honored that we could be a part of both events this summer in the Hamptons.

Donna Karan recently hosted a screening of The Big C, Showtime's newest drama about a suburban mother (played by Laura Linney) diagnosed with cancer, trying to find humor in the disease. When Showtime asked Andrew Saffir of the Cinema Society to organize the premiere in the Hamptons, he says, "One person, and only one person, came to mind: the amazing Donna Karan." Donna started the Urban Zen Foundation a few years to, and in the words of Andrew, "has made great strides in supporting cancer treatment and care and well-being, in part with her integrated therapist program, among others."

For those very reasons, the outdoor screening, a private event at Donna's South Hampton home, was a natural for Donna. During her welcome speech, she introduced the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program to a full house packed with guests such as Laura Linney; Matt Blank, Chairman & CEO, Showtime; Sarah Jessica Parker, Martha Stewart, Edie Falco, Calvin Klein and Gaborey Sidibe.  "Without question, at one point or another in our lifetime, each of us will be a patient as will our loved ones," Donna says.

The Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program was created to help create an optimal healing experience fo patients, loved ones, doctors and nurses. Each Integrative Therapy student undergoes a 12-month, 500-hour curriculum, including clinical rotations. Urban Zen Foundation is proud and honored to assist patients, loved ones and care givers on the path to wellness.

THE URBAN ZEN HEALING SANCTUARY AT SUPER SATURDAY

Urban Zen was proud to participate in Super Saturday 13 this past weekend at Nova's Ark Project in Water Mill, New York. A celebration held on an open field with shopping, food and kids activities, Super Saturday 13 brought together hundreds of people passionate about both philanthropy and shopping. Top designers set up stands selling their items with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund funds research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer. The day was a fun filled family affair that supported an important cause.

Urban Zen filmed the festivities at last weekend's Super Saturday 13.  We covered the entire scope of the event from the shopping, to the children, to the Urban Zen Sanctuary. See all the action from the inside of such a successful and fun event benefiting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund above.

Donna Karan shares her inspiration for starting the Urban Zen Foundation with Stand Up To Cancer. Stand Up To Cancer is a new initiative created to accelerate groundbreaking cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C's goal is to bring together the best and the brightest in the cancer community, encouraging collaboration instead of competition. By galvanizing the entertainment industry, SU2C creates awareness and builds broad public support for this effort.  CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE.

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SU2C  |  www.standup2cancer.org

May 4^th was a gala celebration and a milestone for both Urban Zen Foundation and the Continuum Center for Health and Healing (CCHH) as Donna Karan was honored for her generosity and steadfast dedication to well-being, patients and integrative medicine and the CCHH celebrated its 10^th anniversary.

Donna stood before hundreds of guests as she shared her personal experiences as the “loved one” of several cancer patients, including her late husband Stephan Weiss. Her moving remarks touched upon the universal nature of caring and loss, reminding the audience that in our lifetime, we will all become a patient or the loved one of a patient. By addressing the needs of the patient as well as the disease by integrating eastern healing techniques with western science, hospital care will not only treat the disease but guide patients and their loved ones towards well-being through the simple practices these modalities offer.

The evening’s presentation opened with chair yoga led by Shana Kuhn-Siegel, a UZIT and the UZ yoga coordinator at BIMC, creating an atmosphere of calm and openness. After Donna’s moving acceptance remarks, guests were treated to a live performance of soulful and inspiring music performed by Elvis Costello.

The evening was a defining moment for Urban Zen. Our well-being programs, inspired and guided by Donna, have gained significant momentum. Last year, Dr. Woodson Merrell, founder of CCHH and Chairman of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center, partnered with Donna and Urban Zen to introduce an Optimum Healing Environment. This pilot program has several components, including research, the renovation of hospital space to create The Sanctuary, a serene space for patients, loved ones and staff as well as the introduction of Urban Zen Integrative Therapists on 9 Dazian, where UZITS have cared for oncology patients.

IN THE NEWS

THATGIRLATTHEPARTY.COM

EXAMINER.COM

Donna Karan and Deepak Chopra At ABC Carpet & Home

Hosted by T Magazine, The New York Times Style Magazine
In Moroso Mafrique on the Mezzanine at ABC Carpet & Home
Featuring a taste from abckitchen with Jean-George

“As Deepak said, the world is one; we are interdependent,” Donna Karan told an audience on May 17 at ABC Carpet & Home. The company, in honor of Design Week, invited Donna to be the special guest for “Design, beauty & commerce; serving as a tool for social evolution” with Deepak Chopra.

The event was an intimate gathering hosted by T Magazine, the New York Times Style Magazine, with many familiar faces in the audience including Hugh Jackman, Lucy Liu, Russell James, Richard Zimmerman, and Tara Stiles.

In Moroso Mafrique on the Mezzanine of ABC Carpet & Home, Donna shared her philosophy of design and stewardship: “Through my travels to India, Africa and Bali, I can tell you there is a connection and purity in the world - a mind, body and spirit that ties each of us together as a global community. It is through my travels where I find the spark and magic flame of inspiration. At Urban Zen, the greatest honor is to first capture, then celebrate the worlds creativity and artistic spirit. At Urban Zen, we call this Preservation of Culture.”

This intention of global connectedness runs through Donna’s entire work. She also shared her thoughts that ultimately, “The way we decorate our lives is changing and that the conscious consumer is the new steward of change. This new commerce, ethical consumers, is making the choice to recognize the fine arts and the artistic community. These artists are a broad category of creators, those who bring beauty and design forth to heal the world.“

Please visit the links below to read more.

WWD.COM
STYLECASTER.COM
DAILYFRONTROW.COM

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ABC Carpet & Home  |  www.abchome.com

A Weekend of Inspiration

The minute I heard of the Women in the World Conference, I wanted to be there. All my senses and emotions were evoked - from the heart to the mind.

I love seeing women supporting women. And these women, from a global perspective, are outstanding. It is impossible to acknowledge all of them, but if I could highlight just a few:

* Tina Brown - Journalist, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Daily Beast. She moderated a discussion on human trafficking, the world's third largest black market.

* Diane Sawyer - Journalist, ABC News Anchor, moderated a discussion on what it takes to undo misogynistic traditions in culture.

* Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan - UNICEF advocate, spoke on the urgent need to keep girls around the world in school and help them avoid early marriage and HIV-infection.

* Edna Adan Ismail - Maternal and Child Health Care Activist and

Former Foreign Affairs Minister of Somaliland, shared about her community hospital in Somalia.

Hearing these stories from a global perspective, and issues that we should truly all talk about, was a reminder to continue to find solutions. We at Urban Zen practice this on a day-to-day basis.

Please go to the Women in the World Website and enjoy what I enjoyed. It was an honor to witness the conference. The selection of minds, the intellectual approaches and the creativity of these people were an inspiration, and it would be a joy to return next year.

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Women in the World

www.thedailybeast.com/newsmaker/women-in-the-world

Urban Zen Furniture Collection

The first time I went to Bali, I instantly and passionately fell in love. With the lush countryside, of course. But the furniture also captured my heart – and my imagination. Here was style, strong, simple and authentic. The teak did the talking, the artisan hand did the sculpting. I wanted to live this way in every room, in every home, be it city, beach, Parrot Cay. I designed pieces to suit my lifestyle. I met with local artisans and detailed modern proportions and the purest, most elemental, yet highly functional shapes. I brought it all home, and now through Urban Zen, I bring it all to you. Entirely handmade, these pieces are the essence of comfort, the contrast of strong lines and soft pillows. Elemental, timeless, sophisticated, luxurious, they work with any décor or sensibility. There’s a variety of colors/stains, be it natural, aged, golden honey, brown or black lacquer. You’ll love how the pieces entertain, and how they sleep. You’ll love how they seduce your imagination, taking you around the world, while being completely and sensually at home.

Now the journey begins. It is truly a pleasure and honor to be partnering with ABC Home and my dear friend Paulette Cole, to bring you this collection. What a beautiful environment to show something that is so exciting and close to my heart. Two hearts, two visions. Please enjoy.

Donna Karan and Sonja Nuttall are thrilled to be empowered and inspired by the beautiful and intelligent women in the Women in the World Conference.

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Women in the World
www.thedailybeast.com/newsmaker/women-in-the-world