Hello Friends!

And family. And friends of friends and family friends and even kind strangers.

My name is Aurora Coffey. I am the owner of Luminary Kitchen and Provisions in Springfield Illinois. If you know me, you know that I am always preaching that my staff is my family. And I would do anything I can for my family.

Over the years, I have been lucky to employ many great people. Every so often, there is someone so special that it feels like a gift. Someone that understands you and that you can count on to be there in every way someone could hope for.

Sara Bowen, is indescribably kind. She has devoted her life's work to ensuring that others, mostly strangers turned friends, feel safe and cared about. Through her time working in non-profits and substance abuse/recovery programs and other volunteer work she has been able to give many people hope, second chances, and guidance on how to navigate life. She is someone who people are drawn to and who often come to the bar at Luminary, not expecting to divulge life's happenings fully open to letting her listen to their story. She crafts cocktails while talking and realllllllly listening. She exudes a warmth that is so maternal and inviting you cannot help but be drawn to her. Her talent behind the bar at Luminary has helped create a space within our space. People come to sit with her and they love each other's company.

She doesn't only assume momma bear role at the restaurant; she has family of her own that are her pride and joy. Her teenage daughter Carsyn received quite the blow to the wind in her sails recently. What they originally believed to be a benign cyst from dance and pain they often referred to her as "just her bad knee" for a long while was actually, synovial sarcoma. It is a very rare (less than 1000 diagnoses per year) soft tissue sarcoma that primarily affects areas near the joints and people under 40. She is familiar to fighting for her health as she has had cystic fibrosis since she was born but the two are not related. She will complete 25 radiation sessions and then will be having 2 surgeries, the first of which will be to remove the soft tissue that surrounded the original tumor, and the second will be plastic surgery to move part of her calf muscle to her knee and then cover with skin grafting. All radiation and surgeries are through Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis and her cystic fibrosis treatment is now permanently at Barnes, as well.

Sara will be solely responsible for her daughter's travel, care throughout radiation and post op, and her cancer journey that will now be a part of their lives. Sara then will need a spinal surgery of her own. Years of pain can finally be relieved, but it requires her taking 6 weeks off work in addition to the next few months of Carsyn's treatment. As Luminary was her main source of income and she will have to take an extended leave, I turn to my friends, you all, to help her. To listen to her story and to share her daughter's story, and if able to donate and share so we can ease the financial burden that will accrue during these next few months. We will undoubtedly support her how we can, and we know that our LKP Family will have her back as well. She has helped build such a sense of community within the walls of Luminary and in this town. I want her to feel that love & support reciprocated.

Thank you for your time and as always,

LOVE AND APPRECIATION,

Aurora Coffey