Lighting the Way: UR Luminous Marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month ith 5th Annual Miami Gala
The “Fire & Light” black-tie affair brought nearly 300 guests to the Four Seasons Hotel Miami for an evening of advocacy, entertainment and fundraising in support of breast health and early detection.
Miami kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with purpose on Friday, October 2, as UR Luminous hosted its fifth annual Light Up the Night Gala, bringing nearly 300 guests to the Four Seasons Hotel Miami for an elegant evening centered on education, advocacy and access to breast health care.
This year’s theme, “Fire & Light,” set the tone for a black-tie celebration benefiting the Luminous Advocacy Project Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing breast health awareness and helping expand access to early detection and care around the world.
Among the evening’s most recognizable attendees were The Real Housewives of Miami stars Larsa Pippen, Kiki Barth and Alexia Nepola, who were named Pass the Light Ambassadors and honored with the Luminary Award for using their platforms to encourage others to become more proactive about their health.
The trio joined Romina Nabhen, creator of the Pass the Light campaign, on stage for the presentation.
Additional Luminary Award recipients included Emmy Award-winning actress Drea de Matteo; Julio P. Gonzalez, founder and CEO of Engineered Tax Services; and breast cancer survivor and advocate Ángeles Alumna, who has channeled her own experience into advocacy through Fashion Strikes Cancer.
The evening was hosted by Mrs. Florida International 2026 Michele Reese, while former NFL player Vince Papale took the stage to present the awards.
Throughout the program, guests heard from leaders and medical professionals working to increase awareness around breast health, including Marylin Dans, founder of the Luminous Advocacy Project Foundation; Dr. Julio Hernandez, chair of the Foundation; and physicians Dr. Diego Illanes and Dr. Diana Caragacianu.
A Night of Purpose—and Celebration
Advocacy may have been at the heart of the evening, but the gala also delivered the glamour and energy of a quintessential Miami night out.
Guests were welcomed with The Pale Rosé before Miami-born singer-songwriter Robbie Elias and his band took the stage. Elias’ musical credits include work on Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning albums, and his performance helped launch an entertainment lineup that also featured Cuban percussionist and vocalist Brenda Navarrete, live music and a dramatic fire-dancing performance fitting the evening’s “Fire & Light” theme.
Silent and live auctions added another element to the festivities while raising additional funds for the Foundation’s work. Guests bid on experiences and luxury items ranging from trips to Italy, Portugal and Costa Rica to a South African safari, fine jewelry and even a signed Bad Bunny record.
Beyond the celebration, the night served as a reminder of the importance of staying informed about breast health and maintaining appropriate routine medical screening.
The gala also highlighted the Luminous device, created by UR Luminous as an at-home breast-familiarity tool for both women and men. Using red-light illumination, the device is designed to help users become more familiar with the appearance of their breast tissue between regular screenings and notice changes that may warrant evaluation by a medical professional.
Importantly, Luminous is intended as an adjunct breast-familiarity tool and is not a diagnostic device or a replacement for mammograms, clinical examinations or other physician-recommended screening.
Expanding Access Beyond Miami
The impact of the evening extends well beyond the ballroom.
Through the Luminous Advocacy Project Foundation, funds support breast-health initiatives designed to reach communities where access to testing and medical care may otherwise be limited.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit operates global medical missions that can cover the cost of services including sonograms, mammograms, biopsies, transportation and, when necessary, surgery, with patients receiving care at no cost.
Its Luminous Digital Missions program also works with approved clinics in developing countries, providing donated Luminous devices and training for participating staff. The organization offers a free Luminous Self-Check App, available in eight languages, as another resource intended to encourage breast familiarity and health awareness.
As pink ribbons take center stage throughout October, Light Up the Night offered a reminder that Breast Cancer Awareness Month can be about more than awareness alone. Through education, access and a community willing to use its collective voice, the evening sought to transform attention into meaningful action.
Learn more about the Luminous Advocacy Project Foundation at LuminousAdvocacyProject.com and UR Luminous at Shop.URLuminous.com.
Photography: World Red Eye