Gilda's Club Unveils 'Living Room' of Its New Home

The room had a red door. A tranquil blue covered its walls. Its inside was filled to bursting with a variety of couches and chairs, plants, a large book shelf, electronic equipment, and a dining area. The blinds on the wall-to-wall windows remained closed, but sunlight peaked in through the edges, casting a feeling of serenity across this momentarily unoccupied space. 

To many, this room may seem unremarkable, just an ordinary living room. But to members of Gilda’s Club – to cancer survivors – this room means much more than that, considering one year ago its creation seemed highly unlikely.

Gilda’s Club is a free cancer support community for cancer survivors and friends and family of those affected by cancer. The organization will hold an open house on Thursday, Nov. 10 to celebrate the opening of its living room, a place where people can gather to talk and spend time together. The national organization also hosts a virtual living room for these discussions.

This event has been a year in the making, as the club shifted its headquarters from Shorewood, following the destruction of its building due to flooding, to the in Whitefish Bay.

The southeastern Wisconsin chapter of Gilda’s Club is just one of more than 50 affiliate centers and more than 100 satellite locations throughout the world. It was named in memory of comedian Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989. 

In July 2010, the Shorewood location of Gilda’s Club was destroyed following a two-day flood. Executive Director Trish Haudricourt said there was at least $50,000 in sewer and water damage. Restoration would have cost an estimated $150,000, an amount she said the club’s $20,000 insurance policy would not have come close to covering. As a result, Gilda’s Club’s days seemed numbered.

But help was on the way.  After seeing the club’s plight on a television news story, local businessman Stanley Kass donated $500,000 to Gilda’s Club in memory of his wife, Lee, who had passed away from cancer. Mark Shapiro, executive director of the Jewish Community Center, also contacted Haudricourt.

“You’re welcome here,” Shapiro said.

This was not Haudricourt and Shapiro’s first meeting. They had met earlier in the summer at Summerfest after Haudricourt recognized Shapiro’s daughters, who had previously volunteered with Gilda’s Club. 

Haudricourt also remarked upon the fact that one of Kass’ sons works for Shapiro at the JCC.

Referencing the Hebrew word beshert, Haudricourt said, “It was meant to be.”

Breast cancer survivor and Gilda’s Club member Helen Lambron reiterated this sentiment.  She said the most important thing about Gilda’s Club is the support that everyone, not just the members, but the staff, volunteers, and donators included, gives to one another. 

“Gilda’s Club is like a family,” she said.  “It’s like you’re wrapped in a blanket of caring.”

With Shapiro’s help, Haudricourt said the club only missed about a month’s worth of activities. Support groups were able to meet in a library in the older university section of the JCC. The room held shelves full of books and a large boardroom-style table with hard-backed chairs. Haudricourt said the surroundings were great, but that members, specifically those bothered by the pain of treatments, missed the comfort of the club’s old living room.

“It was painted a certain color, offered coffee and tea, and had comfy couches and a computer,” she said.

When Haudricourt expressed these concerns to Shapiro, the JCC provided Gilda’s Club with a room of its very own and free reign to design it as they liked.

Gilda’s Club brought the old furniture from the Shorewood establishment out of storage and placed it in the new living room.  The living room also houses an extensive resource collection, with a plethora of books and pamphlets.  Some unique touches included a coat of crimson paint for the door and the hanging of a Gilda’s Club hot air balloon painting.   

At the moment, Haudricourt said there are seven different support groups, with 12 to 15 people in each group. She said 300 people use the club at least once every year, and the number of visits has already reached 3,000. 

Haudricourt said Gilda’s Club is important because it provides psychosocial support.

“That is just as important as medical support,” she said.

Haudricourt said cancer changes social connections.  Family and friends can be sympathetic, but sometimes it is not enough.

Lambron thought she would never have the need for an organization like Gilda’s Club. In fact, she did not become a member until after receiving treatment.  Although everything was under control from a medical standpoint, Lambron looked towards Gilda’s Club to help her heal emotionally.

“When you have cancer,” she said, “people speak differently to you, and you speak differently to them.”

Lambron said it was important to speak with people that were walking the same path, even if they were at different stages of the journey.

Support groups are not all that Gilda’s Club offers.  Although its space has shrunk from roughly 9,000 square feet to only 800, Haudricourt said the JCC offers just as much, if not more, than the old location.

Haudricourt said members take from the program what they need. Yoga, knitting, relaxation, art, and lectures and workshops are just some of the activities in which members participate.

Lambron not only participates in many of the club’s activities, but also volunteers because she said it is important to give back.

“You don’t fight or battle cancer,” said Haudricourt. “You live with whatever the outcome.” 

For this reason, she said, everyone is a survivor.

Gilda’s Club continues its journey of survival with the grand opening of its living room, which will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in Whitefish Bay.  The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is requested by Nov 7 by phone at 414.962.8201 or email at jlucore@gildasclubsewi.org.