Sing4Her: Honoring a Grandmother’s Legacy Through Music

This spring, Sing4Her brought together Broadway talent, rising performers, supporters, and advocates for an unforgettable evening of music benefiting the Foundation for Women’s Cancer. Held at New York City’s iconic 54 Below, the event welcomed over 140 attendees in person and online and raised over $7,500 to support gynecologic cancer research, education, and public awareness.

The evening featured an extraordinary lineup of performers, including Tony Award nominee Jenn Colella, and other talented artists who generously donated their voices to the cause. Family members, friends, Foundation supporters, healthcare professionals, cancer advocates, and members of the Broadway community filled the room, creating an atmosphere of hope, remembrance, and celebration.

While the event showcased the power of storytelling through song, its inspiration came from one remarkable woman: Ilene Greenfield.

For Samantha Kotok, a rising junior at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the creator of Sing4Her, the evening was more than a performance, it was a tribute to the grandmother who helped shape her life, encouraged her love of the arts, and left an enduring legacy of strength, resilience, and joy.

Ilene passed away from endometrial cancer in 2016 at just 63 years old. Although Samantha was only nine years old at the time, the impact of her grandmother’s life and loss continues to influence her today.

“She was my best friend,” Samantha shared. “She was a huge presence in my life.”

Ilene’s love of the arts was woven throughout her life. She sang to her grandchildren, loved music, and even tap danced in her younger years. More importantly, she embraced life with confidence, humor, and authenticity, qualities that Samantha sees reflected in herself today.

Even during treatment, Ilene remained a source of light for her family. Samantha remembers her grandmother always smiling, singing, and finding ways to make others laugh despite the challenges she faced. Her strength left a lasting impression on everyone around her.

The idea for Sing4Her began when Samantha’s father participated in the Race to End Women’s Cancer in Washington, D.C. There, he met Ginger J. Gardner, MD, Chair of the Foundation for Women’s Cancer, and connected with Foundation leaders. During conversations about Ilene’s journey and Samantha’s passion for musical theater, a new vision emerged: creating an arts-based fundraising initiative that could honor loved ones affected by gynecologic cancer while inspiring others through music.

For Samantha, standing on stage alongside accomplished Broadway performers represented years of love, loss, healing, and growth. Through every song performed that evening, Ilene’s spirit remained at the center of the celebration.

“I didn’t really give myself permission to pursue the arts until after my grandma passed away,” Samantha reflected. “Losing her reminded me how short life is and how important it is to do what you love.”

As she has grown older, Samantha has discovered more of her grandmother in herself. Whether it is her sense of humor, determination, or commitment to being unapologetically authentic, family members often point out the similarities between the two.

“I think I’m becoming more like her,” she said. “She was unapologetically herself all the time, and I think she would be proud of the person I’m becoming.”

Through Sing4Her, Samantha and her family transformed personal loss into purpose. The event not only celebrated Ilene’s memory but also helped advance the Foundation for Women’s Cancer’s mission to lessen the impact of gynecologic cancers through research, patient education, and public awareness.

Most importantly, Sing4Her demonstrated that there are many ways to move the mission forward. Whether through movement, advocacy, fundraising, education, or music, every action can create meaningful change while honoring those impacted by gynecologic cancer.

For one evening, the room was filled with powerful performances, heartfelt stories, and a community united by a shared purpose. But the impact of Sing4Her extends far beyond the stage, carrying forward the legacy of a woman whose love, strength, and spirit continue to inspire the people who knew her best, and helping ensure that future generations benefit from greater awareness, education, and research in the fight against gynecologic cancer.  Sing4her is a new initiative that will continue past this inaugural event.