Although our red doors have been temporarily closed due to the pandemic, Gilda’s Club Minnesota has not missed a single day of providing the critical support that people impacted by cancer need and depend upon.
Back in March, in just 48 hours, we shifted our entire program to an online platform and demonstrated once again what our members, volunteers and supporters know so well:
Community is stronger than cancer®!
Individuals and families who once gathered at our warm and welcoming clubhouse now receive our life-sustaining social and emotional support virtually. New members do, too. And, as always, our support is free of charge to all members, no matter where they live. What could be more open than that?
THE GILLESPIES: SUPPORT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
EMILY: My family and I started coming to Gilda’s Club last year, shortly after I was diagnosed with a rare cancer called uterine leiomyosarcoma, so we all had the chance to see first-hand what makes the Gilda’s Club clubhouse so warm and welcoming. We took advantage of a variety of programming—support groups, family nights, mind-body wellness resources and more—all of which have been incredible. I’m even participating in a Rare Cancer Support Group, a unique Gilda’s Club offering that doesn’t exist anywhere else.
Gilda’s Club offers something for every family member impacted by cancer. There are things for me as the person with cancer; for Mike, as the spouse of somebody with cancer; and for both of us, as parents of kids who are having to deal with cancer. And there are programs for Laura and Anna, too. I’m totally amazed that everything is so accessible—and offered free of charge.
We live 30 minutes away from Gilda’s Club, so it was often a challenge to get the whole family to the clubhouse. Now the offerings are all virtual, making it so easy for us to participate. But we’re eager to get back to the clubhouse, to see people in person, and to give hugs to our friends, all of whom are amazing examples of what it’s like to live with cancer.
MIKE: Being able to talk to other parents has helped me connect better with my family and be more open about how cancer is affecting all of us. Together, we’re learning how to care for ourselves and one another. We’re also learning how to navigate this journey together. We’re a team—our family and fellow Gilda’s Club members—and we can do this.
ANNA (age 10): Sometimes me and other kids draw pictures of what our families were like before cancer and what they’re like after cancer. And then we get to talk, and then maybe do some meditation. Stuff like that. Gilda’s Club reminds me that I’m not alone … that other kids are going through the same thing.
-Excerpt from Laura’s (age 13) Gilda’s Club Minnesota LISTEN/™ Dear Cancer: Teen Essay
HELP US BE READY TO RE-OPEN OUR RED DOORS!
With your support, when we all emerge on the other side of this pandemic, Gilda’s Club Minnesota will resume face-to-face programs at our clubhouse. We’ll continue virtual programming, making Gilda’s Club Minnesota accessible to even more people, no matter where they live. AND, we’ll also offer hybrid programming that combines the convenience of virtual programming with the irreplaceable experience of being together in person at the clubhouse. No one should face cancer alone. Help us keep it that way. Donate today to ensure that Gilda’s Club Minnesota stays more open than ever.
Your Donation to Gilda’s Club Minnesota
