“When I first started attending Gilda’s Club in 2009, I was newly diagnosed with breast cancer,” shares Jamie Steckelberg, the Amy Nickles Above and Beyond the Call of Duty (ABCD) Award Winner for 2024. Jamie first came to Gilda’s Club as a member, attending Family Night with her partner and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Jamie’s connection…
Read MoreYou Can Make Something Beautiful Even Through the Ugly Times
By Gloria, Gilda’s Club Member At the age of 30, I was hit like a ton of bricks when I went in for my annual physical and was told she found a lump in my left breast. After many tests, I was given the diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer and it had spread to…
Read MoreHow Gilda’s Club Lifts Me Up
By Katie, Gilda’s Club Member Getting a cancer diagnosis is the absolute pits. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 40—my son not yet three and my ducks wholly not in a row to handle the additional workload of treatment—I broke. Early on, drowning in turmoil, I knew I would benefit from support outside…
Read MoreLife After Cancer
Members focus on navigating the unknown waters of “what’s next?” “There are layers, like an onion, to life after cancer,” explains Kirsten Norslien, Program Director at Gilda’s Club. That might mean the time immediately following receiving a diagnosis. Or finishing treatment and trying to figure out the next stage. That next stage might range from…
Read MoreBrunch and Bonding
Men’s Brunch is a place of friendship and support. This past December, Bob heard those shocking words, “You have cancer.” In the packet of information he received from the cancer center, he saw a flyer for Gilda’s Club. He quickly decided to learn more. In January, he walked into the clubhouse community room to find…
Read MoreChampion Spotlight: Barbara and Norm Berven
Barbara and Norm Berven’s love story began in an unexpected way: after they both experienced losses due to cancer. Barbara lost her first husband, Bernie, to multiple myeloma in 2008. Norm’s first wife, Stella, was a good friend of Barbara and supported her through both her first husband’s diagnosis and after he passed. Later, when…
Read MoreGilda’s Club Madison Goes Solar
We’re thrilled to share a significant milestone in Gilda’s Club Madison’s journey: the installation of solar panels! This achievement is more than an upgrade to our building—it’s a testament to the power of community and our commitment to sustainability. We hope our steps inspire other area nonprofits to explore ways to build brighter futures for…
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