Survivors inspire youths with faith and fortitude for the future

TAMPA, Fla. - Aug. 29, 2018 - PRLog -- Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "We cannot always build a future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." That is exactly what author and speaker Roslyn Franken is doing by telling young people her parents' and personal story of amazing survival, strength and triumph over tragedy - Her mother survived the horrors of Auschwitz and several other concentration camps throughout Nazi Europe. Her father was a prisoner of war in Japan and was working as a slave laborer in Nagasaki when the Americans dropped the atomic bomb there. He, too, survived. At 29, when diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes with a tumor resting on the main artery to her brain, Roslyn turned to her parents' remarkable faith and never give up attitude as inspiration in her fight to beat cancer.

By telling her parents' and personal story, Roslyn gives young people a unique learning opportunity to:

1.     Boost their awareness, compassion and empathy for the experiences of victims and survivors of WWII in Europe and Asia.
2.   Learn about the dangers of discrimination, indifference and what hatred, bullying and evil can lead to.
3.     Be inspired with a greater sense of inner-strength, hope, faith and gratitude.
4.     Embrace a greater spirit of interfaith and interracial tolerance, respect, community and peace so needed in our world today.

How did Roslyn's parents survive their captivity? How did they  meet, marry and make a beautiful life despite their past trauma, against all odds? What did Roslyn learn from her parents that young people everywhere can learn from to be better human beings and make our world a better place? The answers to these questions and more are what Roslyn shares in both her multimedia stage presentation and book entitled, Meant to Be: A True Story of Might, Miracles and Triumph of the Human Spirit.

The highlight of her youth speaking program to date came on April 12, 2018, when Roslyn travelled to Parkland, Florida, to speak to survivors of the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 people. She brought much needed hope and healing to the class that was attacked by the gunman with her parents' amazing story.

Why young people think it's important to know Roslyn's story:

"I appreciate how Roslyn is reaching out to kids our generation and inspiring us and telling us all about these different things…I appreciate the fact that she's not sugar-coating anything and she's actually educating us and she's making a great impact on us." ~ Grade 10 Student

"So that people our age know the responsibility we have for carrying the torch and to make sure the flame in that torch never goes out like the stories and efforts of veterans and people who experienced war are not forgotten." ~ Grade 10 Student

"This really inspired me to fight for my goals, and to never give up, and just to keep going and to do well in school and never give up on my dreams, and even if I go through bad stuff, it's just that there's always hope in life." ~ Grade 11 Student

Her parents' story was the subject of a Gemini award-nominated television documentary and a movie adaptation of her book, Meant to Be, is currently in development for production as a feature film.

With a passion for speaking to young people, Roslyn travels across North America telling her story to diverse youth audiences from high schools and colleges to universities, faith-based youth groups and other youth organizations.

For more information, media interviews and to invite Roslyn to speak or become a corporate sponsor, visit http://roslynfranken.com/youths.html or call 613-843-0155.