Written by Jim Serbin
When Chloe Harouche was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 23, her reaction was one of shock and disbelief. She is from New York City, she graduated from UPenn as a bioengineer, and worked as a consultant in the medical field, so she thought she was well versed in health care. “At first, I wondered if this was really happening,” Harouche recalls. “Did they make a mistake? Even when I was told the biopsy had found cancer cells, I thought it was a precursor to cancer and that if they were to be removed, that would be it. It was stage 2.
Her response was swift and decisive, and she underwent a double mastectomy two weeks after her diagnosis, followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. By December of that year, she was declared cancer-free, but questions abounded about prevention and how it fit into her future treatment. “I realized for the first time how confused patients are. You have a bunch of great specialists coming in, but nobody talks to each other,” Haroush says. “There’s no concerted effort to coordinate care or preventative measures.”
Haroush developed a health regimen consisting of intense exercise, a low-carbohydrate diet with calorie restriction, and intermittent fasting. But she admitted that at a time when she was ready to start a family, she overdid it and it affected her ovarian health. “That’s when I learned about the power of integrative medicine,” Haroush says. “I saw a doctor for the first time and found out that my body was in a state of stress and not in the best condition for pregnancy. It taught me a lot about health risks. , is what most people care about. The problem comes when we make health too consumerized and there is too little clinical oversight.”
In 2021, she co-founded The Lanby, a hospitality-driven membership club in New York City that reimagines primary care with a rigorous, personalized approach to treating disease and optimizing well-being. In addition to the medical team, The Lumbee’s staff includes wellness experts and member advocates who have worked closely with Harouch’s favorite New York City accommodations, the Crosby Street Hotel and The Whitby. She is housed in a Fifth Avenue office with bright colors and stylish furniture reminiscent of a hotel.
Members have access to a dedicated care team, comprehensive labs, individualized care plans, referrals to top specialists, record integration and more. “Lambie is a buoy, a flotation device with light. We are a lifeline in an ocean of darkness,” says Harouch. “We wanted a name inspired by the hospitality industry that evokes the joy that we all miss from the hospital-going experience.”
This summer, The Lanby will offer Just The Labs, a la carte public access to lab work (hormones, metabolism, nutrients, cardiovascular) and 45-minute virtual consultations. Those who decide to become members can have a $500 consultation fee applied to Lambie’s full annual membership fee ($6,000 for those over 35 and $4,380 for those under 35).
Now a mother to Mauricio, 2, and Leah, 1, Haroush enjoys a fitness regimen that begins with a 5:45 a.m. wake-up and 30-minute workout. The diet is “plant-based and rich in healthy fats and quality animal protein.” She likes to be in bed by 10pm. In the name of her balance, “This is the new wave of wellness,” Haroush enjoys a cocktail once a week. “It’s usually a dirty martini with gin in it.” thelambee.com
