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'A Divine Spark'

Kate Schmier
Special to the Jewish News

Chicago Tribune, Missy worked tire-
lessly to erase the stigma. "The face
of lung cancer is changing," she said
during a speech at LUNGevity's fourth
hen Melissa Lumberg
annual fall benefit in November 2004.
Zagon learned that she
"It's not just the old man smoking a
had metastatic lung can-
cigarette. It's our parents
cer more than six years
and children, friends and
ago, she did not retreat
neighbors, smokers and
inward. Instead, in the
nonsmokers. It's me and
words of Rabbi Karyn
175,000 others who are
Kedar of Congregation
faced with a disease for
B'nai Jehoshua Beth
which there is currently no
Elohim in Glenview, Ill.,
cure."
she taught her family,
For everyone who knew
friends and countless
her, Missy's proactive
others "what a hero looks
stance came as no surprise.
like."
Melissa 'M issyr
She braved lung cancer
Known for her effer-
Lumberg Z agon
with same determina-
vescent smile that could
tion, energy and capabil-
light up a room,"Missy,"
ity with which she tackled all other
39, passed away peacefully on Jan. 2,
endeavors in her life. Growing up in
2007, at Evanston Hospital near her
Michigan, she was voted "Most Likely
home in Deerfield, Ill.
to Succeed" at Southfield-Lathrup
Soon after her diagnosis in 2000 at
High School and graduated Phi Beta
the age of 32, Missy discovered that
while lung cancer is the leading cause Kappa from U-M, with a degree in
economics. After attending Harvard
of cancer deaths in the United States
Law School, she accepted a position
— killing more Americans each year
at Jenner & Block and then Goldberg
than breast, prostate and colorectal
Kohn in Chicago, where she later
cancers combined — research funds
became the firm's first female partner
were severely lacking. This shortage
in litigation. In order to make more
was mostly due to the misconcep-
time for her family, she joined True
tion that lung cancer was strictly
North Communications as in-house
a smokers' illness; and, hence, vic-
counsel just six weeks before her
tims brought it on themselves. Few
diagnosis.
Americans realized that an estimated
Despite Missy's seemingly endless
22,000 nonsmokers like Missy are
list of accomplishments, she always
diagnosed each year.
remained quietly confident. "She
"Missy was a person who believed
didn't let us know how incredibly
that if you don't know something,
brilliant she was:' commented Rabbi
do the research; find it out; take on
Harold Loss of Temple Israel, where
the challenge recalled her brother,
Missy
served as vice-president of the
Michael Lumberg.
youth group and participated in a
summer teen mission to Israel.
Funding Research
"She was never about self-aggran-
Armed with her characteristic tenac-
dizement."
She simply enjoyed having
ity, Missy became a passionate advo-
whether
attending a U-M sport-
fun,
cate for those coping with the disease.
ing
event
or
hosting
her synagogue's
Along with six other lung cancer
Loss said.
Purim
carnival,
Rabbi
Chicago
area,
she
survivors in the
magnetic
person-
Chicago,
her
In
launched the LUNGevity Foundation
attracted
the
attention
of
her
ality
the
only
national
nonprofit
in 2000,
husband, Glenn Zagon, whom she met
exclusively devoted to funding lung
while studying for the bar examina-
cancer research. Under her leadership
tion. "There was something special
first as LUNGevity's president, then as
and intriguing about Missy:' Glenn
chairperson, the grassroots organiza-
said, recalling their first meeting. "She
tion developed into a renowned insti-
had a spark."
tution, raising more than $3.4 million
As Rabbi Kedar added in her eulo-
for research since its inception.
gy,"This was a divine spark."
Featured in major media outlets
such as CNN, Newsweek, and the

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