My name is Payton. I am 14 years old, but have been a volunteer for about nine years now and have experienced and learned many things along the way. You may not know, but the reason I started volunteering in the first place is because, when I was about one year old, my mom was diagnosed…
Read MoreA Creative Respite
“We do art classes because there are limits to our words. The process of expression actually helps us process our lived experiences,” shares Kirsten Norslien, Program Director at Gilda’s Club. Art therapy has long been a part of the programming at Gilda’s Club Madison. Fortunately, these programs have been able to continue virtually. Art therapy…
Read MoreGetting Back Up After Cancer Knocks You Down: Melanoma Survivor Shares Post-Treatment Struggles, Successes
Written by: Chris Malina, as originally published in the winter edition of The Advances e-newsletter. In the beginning, Renee Zemke got what every newly-diagnosed cancer patient gets: the big binder full of information. It came with the usual stuff: basic definitions, locations of clinics and important phone numbers. But nothing in the materials could prepare…
Read MoreGrateful for the Gift of Gilda’s Club
My name is Helen. I am a member, volunteer, and Ambassador at Gilda’s Club Madison. A year after my first breast cancer diagnosis, I felt “ready” for the support and psychosocial, emotional, educational support programming of Gilda’s Club. As I live in the Milwaukee area, I walked in through Gilda’s Club Southeastern Wisconsin, early in…
Read MoreRemembrance Night Helped Me Say Goodbye
My name is Jane and I was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 on my 62nd birthday. My husband, Arnie, and I have enjoyed the many programs at Gilda’s. Plus we enjoyed the lasagna, turkey, and various other meals! The meals gave us a chance to catch up with people we’ve met thru Gilda’s programs. I’ve…
Read MoreJon – Why I Volunteer
From a young age, my Mom was adamant that my brother and I be involved in philanthropic activities. We would make May Day Baskets for the residents at the local retirement center in our hometown, we’d serve meals at local churches on Christmas and Thanksgiving, and I volunteered at a therapeutic riding stable for children with developmental and physical impairments. I…
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