Gilda's Story

Gilda's Club is named in honor of Gilda Radner, who, when describing the emotional and social support she received when she had cancer, called for such places to be made available for people with cancer and their families and friends everywhere. Although the Saturday Night Live comedian died in 1989, Gilda's spirit lives on at every Gilda's Club, where members join with other "experts" at living with cancer to both give and receive the benefits of love and laughter through the unique Gilda's Club program.

The first Gilda's Club, including a worldwide training center, opened its signature red door in New York City in 1995. Since that time, additional clubhouses have opened in larger cities (Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Toronto), smaller cities (Fort Lauderdale, Quad Cities, Hackensack, Rochester) and several points in between (Nashville, Grand Rapids, White Plains). Thousands of members now attest to the fact that Gilda's Club has helped change their lives by restoring control and enabling them to plan their own emotional and social support, thus strengthening and enriching the entire family.