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 so much more than bagels and eggs. He found a circle of men sharing camaraderie, support, and information. He found a place where he could hear from others who are further along in their cancer journey and appreciates being able to hear their messages of hope.
“Everybody is here so we can support each other”
The Men’s Brunch takes place on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the Gilda’s Club clubhouse. This informal gathering is a place where any man with any cancer diagnosis at any stage can meet up and share their experiences. Often the topics stray from their cancer journeys into other areas of interest, like cars or their families. “Nothing is off-topic,” explains Steven, another regular attendee.
But what binds all of these men together is their shared experience. One of the regular attendees, Mark, shares, “We all have different cancers, but we all have similar experiences…Everybody is here so we can support each other.”
The group has slowly grown over time so that it now represents a crew of men who’ve been attending for months and others who have joined recently. All share that they look forward to this time each month to gather face-to-face, catch up, and share new information.
“We all look out for each other”
John shares that he values that there are others in the group who are further along in their journey. “They’re a sounding board for us youngsters,” he grins.
Others echo his sentiment, even sharing that, as they’ve gotten to know each other, they’ll be on the lookout for new information to share with the group…whether or not it relates to their diagnosis or others. “We all look out for each other,” another attendee shares.
But, ultimately, the Men’s Brunch is a place where they can share with others who can relate to their experience on a deeper level, where they don’t feel like they have to hold back. They can find both humor and hope in their cancer journey.
Morgan was quiet as the other men shared why they keep coming back each month, but it’s clear he’s been marinating on why Men’s Brunch holds value for him. When he does speak up, the others say that he perfectly summarized how they all felt: “For me, it’s knowing other people have this issue so I don’t feel so alone.”
If you are interested in learning more about attending the monthly Men’s Brunch, contact Autumn at Autumn@GildasClubMadison.org. Thank you to everyone who has donated to help make social activities like the Men’s Brunch possible.