Model/actress Karen Duffy has an inspiring new book.
She has suffered from the rare and painful disease sarcoidosis, which impacts her central nervous system, for 20 years.
On Thursday at the Society of Illustrators, Duffy said of “Backbone: Living with Chronic Pain Without Turning into One,” “I wanted to write a book about the subject of pain that was not a painful read.”
She spoke warmly of pals who have supported her, including George Clooney, who couldn’t be there but sent a Casamigos tequila fountain.
Clooney also wrote a blurb for the book: “My friend Karen Duffy, who lives with unimaginable pain, has taught me so much; that my complaints are the most ridiculous in the world.” Duffy also said, “[Bill Murray] is one of my dearest friends, and laughter really does heal pain.”
Others toasting Duffy included Carole Radziwill, Fern Mallis, Michael Mailer, Aida Turturro, Andrew Saffir, Griffin Dunne, David Pressman, Nicole Miller, Amy Sacco, Holly Peterson and supermodel Emme.
There were speeches from Duffy’s husband, John Lambros and her 14-year-old son, Jack, who spoke about how inspiring she is as a pain patient advocate, and then said how “she is like a mother to me,” to laughs.