Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit and our Cancer Support Community Partners uplift and strengthen people impacted by cancer by providing support, fostering compassionate communities, and breaking down barriers to care.
Everyone impacted by cancer receives the support they want and need throughout their experience.
Our namesake, Gilda Radner, was one of the original cast members of “Saturday Night Live.” Throughout her time on the show, she created a number of enduring characters, including Roseanne Roseannadanna, Emily Litella and Lisa Loopner. Laughter and love were central themes of Gilda’s career and life, including in her marriage to actor and comedian Gene Wilder.
Gilda was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1985. She said that having cancer gave her membership in an elite club she’d rather not belong to. She passed away in 1989,but her legacy lived on when her husband and friends established Gilda’s Club and the first red door opened in New York City.
In 1993 eight women, all facing cancer themselves or with a loved one started to explore something, anything in metro Detroit to ease the path. They came across an important effort in New York to honor Gilda Radner. In 1998 these eight courageous women opened the doors to our permanent home in metro Detroit.
Pictured above, our founders:
Front row left to right: Sherry Medsker, Maureen Martinez, Jackie Grekin, Carol Silverman.
Back row left to right: Geri Lester, Ina Kadish, Gilda’s Representative, Bernice Gadon, Marsha Gershenson.
In July 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club Worldwide joined forces to become the Cancer Support Community. By helping to complete the cancer care plan, CSC optimizes patient care by providing essential, but often overlooked,services including support groups, counseling , education and healthy lifestyle programs. Today, CSC provides the highest quality emotional and social support through a network of more than 190 satellite and office locations.
