Gilda's Club Tacoma

Fundraisers

Watch Monday Night Football with Jordan Babineaux and his fellow Seahawks players

Mon, Sep 27, 2010 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm

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Tacoma 3rd Annual Surviving with Style Fashion Show & Luncheon

Tue, Nov 16, 2010 11:30 am - 1:30 pm

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Lee National Denim Day

Fri, Oct 8, 2010

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Gilda's Gang 5K or Half-Marathon Team

Sat, Nov 27, 2010 - Sun, Nov 28,2010

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Sponsor an Athlete

Background and History

During the 1980’s talented comedian Gilda Radner was one of the brightest lights on television’s popular Saturday Night Live. Creating a cast of memorable characters such as Roseanne Roseanneadanna, Gilda could be seen every Saturday evening working alongside other talented comedians such as John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Bill Murray. In 1986, after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Gilda sought out the services of cancer psychotherapist Joanna Bull. Joanna introduced Gilda to the concept of the support community, and Gilda took full advantage, believing that there should be a thousand such groups around the country. Her cancer was discovered too late for effective treatment, and she died on May 20, 1989.

Joanna Bull, together with Gilda’s husband, actor Gene Wilder television reviewer Joel Siegel, and other friends, kept the spirit of the late comedian alive by establishing in New York City the same kind of support community Gilda so dearly loved. The group called “Gilda’s Club” was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1991, and Gilda’s Club New York City opened its doors in 1995. The Gilda's Club Affiliate Network currently serves more than 50,000 members in 22 cities, with 28 clubhouses and satellites across North America, and 6 additional locations in development.

Gilda’s Club Seattle opened in 2001 and has served more than 72,000 people, of which more than 10,000 are children, in and out of the clubhouse. A full-time staff of 6 manages the Program, assisted by twelve contractual employees and a core group of 200 volunteers who do everything from staffing the front desk reception desk, baking and stuffing envelopes, to managing the library.        

In 2008, a group of dedicated volunteers headed by the indomitable Babe Lehrer, around whose vision and desire the group coalesced, got to work to open a clubhouse in Tacoma. In February 2010, Sara Inveen joined the group as associate director of Gilda’s Club Tacoma. With the guidance and invaluable support of committed volunteers and the Gilda’s Club Seattle staff, plans to open a satellite location of Gilda’s Club Seattle in Tacoma are progressing.

Gilda’s Club Tacoma has already held two successful Surviving with Style Fashion Show & Luncheon events, and the Sounds of Spring concert event. Additionally, Gilda’s Club Tacoma has offered six free cancer lectures, and the Cancer Education for Teens Program is offered at select high schools in Pierce County.

The need for Gilda’s Club services is greatly felt by everyone in the community touched by cancer and we are pleased to be moving toward ensuring that no one will have to face cancer alone.

 Core Mission

The mission of Gilda’s Club Tacoma is to provide a meeting place where men, women, and children living with cancer, along with their families and friends, join with others to build social, emotional and educational support.

Free of charge and not-for-profit, Gilda’s Club Tacoma strives to offer support and networking groups, lectures, workshops and social events in a warm and welcoming setting. Funding is solicited from individuals, corporations and foundations.

Vision

The Gilda’s Club philosophy of providing an emotion, social and educational community as an essential complement to medical care for people and families living with cancer will serve as a beacon for the development of health and human services in this century.

Gilda’s Club Tacoma, as a satellite of Gilda’s Club Seattle, will offer this program to the South Sound Community to ensure the mission reaches a diverse and socioeconomic community as well as schools, corporations and the community at large that might not otherwise have access to Gilda’s Club Seattle programs.

Gilda’s Club Tacoma will assume its rightful place as the leader in Pierce County in advancing the understanding of the essential bond of emotional, social and informational support to the cancer experience, not only to those living with cancer, but also for the families and friends who surround them.