Lauren Spilman and Stacie Halpern

Why did supporting the WCHRC feel like an appropriate tribute to your mother?

STACIE: After Mom passed away, we wanted to honor her in a meaningful way.¹ When we learned about the center, it just made sense. She was a woman in business who championed other women and guided them 
to fulfill their dreams. Continuing that legacy through a center dedicated to women felt right. 
LAUREN: When Mom herself was having heart issues more than 30 years ago, she got the runaround. You know: Take two aspirin, get some rest. She ended up coming to Cleveland Clinic because the daughter of Dr. Razavi² was an intern at our family’s company. She told my mother, “We’re calling my father — something is wrong.” After she saw Dr. Razavi, she saw Dr. Cosgrove.³ A few days later, she had quadruple bypass surgery, which lasted her a lifetime. Family was everything to our mom. She always wanted better for us and for our children. Knowing how this center will impact women and their care for generations to come, she would be over the moon about it. 

Do you ever stop to think about all the lives that have been saved or changed for the better in the Miller Family Pavilion? 

STACIE: It’s amazing. People tell Lauren and me all the time about how Cleveland Clinic helped their husband or their sister or their friend. 
LAUREN: Letters find their way to us. We don’t take it lightly. It’s an honor for our family and a privilege to be part of Cleveland Clinic’s impact.⁴

For those who never had the pleasure of meeting them, how would you describe your parents?  

LAUREN: At their core, they were simple people who believed in the American dream. 
STACIE: And hard work! 
LAUREN: Yes. They believed in hard work, in family and in bringing out the best in others. 
STACIE: They had such a zest for life. They lived every day to the fullest and enjoyed everything and everyone.

The story of how your mother and father met is priceless. Would you please repeat it?

LAUREN: Sydell had a friend, who was also a hairdresser, who told her she needed to see Arnie.
STACIE: It took a while to get the appointment.
LAUREN: Right. She wasn’t happy about that. But eventually she got the appointment. When she got her hair done, Arnie told his next client: “I’m sorry, but you’re just going to need to wait. I want this lady to go have coffee with me. She’s going to be my wife!” So Arnie asked Sydell out. After one week, he asked her to marry him.

Did they model philanthropy at home when you were young? 

STACIE: We were raised with philanthropy as a core family value. Mom and Dad instilled that in us. 
LAUREN: Growing up in a Jewish household, we put money in a tzedakah box.⁵ Our parents were raised in homes that believed if you only had one loaf of bread, part of that bread should be shared with somebody else. They believed that if we treated everybody the way we wish to be treated, the world would be a better place. And they believed in giving back to help people. Sometimes it was done openly; sometimes it was handled quietly and privately. 

How do you hope to carry on their legacy? 

LAUREN: We continue to support causes that have always been important to our family. We’re interested in things that are good for our city. We support medical care, especially for women. And we also believe in the importance of education for children — the next generation. 
STACIE: Our father’s motto was: Think. Believe. Dream. Dare. Think about who you are and what you want to accomplish in life. You have to believe in yourself, because if you don’t, others won’t. You have to dream big. Then, most importantly, you have to dare to do it. That advice still inspires us today.