You may know Chef Hosea Rosenberg as a winner from Top Chef or from his flavor-forward and sustainable fare served at Blackbelly and Santo here in Boulder. Perhaps you are familiar, too, with the counterpart to his success; his business partner and wife, Lauren Rosenberg. Together they are owners of these two iconic restaurants, but their proudest accomplishment yet is their young daughter, Sophie; a sandy-blonde, brown-eyed blessing, rife with curiosity at just three-years-old. A girl whose recent birthday reminds her parents that nearly half of her life has been spent in recovery, searching for explanations for her painful symptoms. In March, Sophie would officially be diagnosed with a genetic disorder called multicentric carpotarsal osteolysis syndrome (MCTO), which causes destructive bone degeneration, leading to crippling in her hands and putting her at risk for chronic kidney failure. Only 30 people in the have been diagnosed with MCTO and there is no treatment currently, leaving the Rosenberg’s to reach towards the Boulder community—and beyond—in order to give their daughter a fighting chance.
Lauren says, “For Sophie and the other children who have this, if there’s science that can help make these children’s lives better, safer and healthier, then we’re connecting with anyone in the field that might have any interest in helping. And a huge part of that is fundraising.”
Having been diagnosed during the COVID-19 crisis, the family is suspended between the economic impacts on their businesses and the mission to save their daughter.
“It’s been a harder challenge accomplishing what we need to because of this greater problem in the world, but at the same time a lot of people are feeling very giving and starting to have new perspectives on life, and it’s creating more generosity and kindness,” says Lauren.
Among the many revelations the global crisis has brought up, perhaps the most salient is that every individual has the right to a healthy life.
Hope + Help = The Road to a Cure
Their non-profit, Sophie’s Neighborhood (SophiesNeighborhood.org), is home to constant fundraising and awareness efforts to help meet their lofty financial goals for research. In an outpouring of support, Lauren refers to the individuals who have offered support, their ‘angels’. Local mom and founder of Mila’s Miracle Foundation is Julia Vitarello, who has been fighting for treatment of her own daughter’s genetic disorder and helping the Rosenberg’s in their journey of raising funds. Lauren says the founder of SomaLogic, Larry Gold, whose expertise in the field of genetics has been tremendous support for their own understanding of MCTO.
Boulder businesses have responded, too, including Gelato Boy’s, whose hand-crafted ‘berries + graham’ gelato was inspired by Sophie’s favorite sweets with all proceeds being sent to Sophie’s Neighborhood. Comino Food Stories has partnered with Fortuna Chocolate to donate 50% of sales from their spiced-orange dark chocolate, and Boulder local Devlin Devore Kaplan is making COVID-19 face masks for $5 with all money going to the foundation. These gestures of support are essential for Sophie’s health and keeping her family hopeful for a cure.
Truly, it takes a neighborhood.
Contact information to support Sophie:
Instagram and Facebook @SophiesNeighborhood
Email: Hello@SophiesNeighborhood.com
