“I believe in the power of cancer support.” We all have some sort of connection to cancer. One of the issues that takes place from my point of view is the word ‘cancer’ being labeled taboo. Not many people are comfortable speaking about cancer. My father was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and fought for 3 years before losing his battle…
Read MoreGilda’s Saved Our Family Life
When my husband, Vince, a research physicist was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, we were instantly yanked out of our ordered, information driven, meaningful lives into pure chaos – no logic, minimal information, total disorientation. Thirteen months after his diagnosis, we had experienced two bone marrow transplants, early retirement, divestiture of 80k of our possessions, and…
Read MoreFinding Confidence at Gilda’s Club
In 2013, I was getting weaker, out of breath, losing mental ability, and having other strange symptoms. Little did I know I was dying of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and I also had an indolent cancer. I received chemo just in time. My doctor told me a year later, I had been just a few…
Read MoreCUREative Art & Writing Contest
“Words can be limiting. Art opens up a whole new level of expression,” explains Carissa Hodgson, Gilda’s Club Program Manager. Because of this, Gilda’s Club is launching a CUREative Art & Writing Contest for Teens. The contest is open to any teen (ages 13-19) touched by cancer. It’s open to any type of art. “The…
Read MoreGrowing Up at Gilda’s
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…
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