Category: News

COVID-19 Bereavement Group Launched

When the COVID-19 crisis hit New York City, our team immediately observed that there was an impact on the emotional needs of our community. Our members reported their grief and sorrow at the deaths of their loved ones, friends, neighbors and colleagues. This grief was shared within their support groups, workshops, through phone calls, and via a member survey assessing the impact of the virus. As a result, Gilda’s Club NYC staff created a COVID-19 bereavement group to support these individuals, the first of which was held on June 11th.

The group was open to all adult members of our community that had lost a friend or loved one to COVID-19 and was co-facilitated by two members of the clinical team. Some of the main topics that were offered to the group for discussion included, but were not limited to, the following: the challenges of grieving during a crisis, how the pandemic complicated the grieving process, what loss looks like during the pandemic, ways that grief has been disrupted, and how the pandemic has presented challenges to the traditional aspects of memorials, funerals, etc.

Due to clinical demand, this group will be repeated in July, and for as long as it is needed to support our members through this pandemic.

Open to Options™

Gilda’s Club NYC is dedicated to helping anyone impacted by cancer, that includes supporting individuals as they prepare for important medical appointments through the Open to Options™ (O2O) program.

O2O is an evidence-based approach to treatment decision support. The Cancer Support Community (CSC), in collaboration with the Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT), developed and evaluated the Open to Options™ program to help patients communicate more effectively with their health care team in order to arrive at the treatment decision that is right for them.

Our O2O Trained Counselors are able to guide cancer patients, in a non-directive way, to anticipate their questions and concerns while describing their individual situations, medical options and personal goals, in advance of an upcoming medical appointment. The goal is to ensure all patient questions get answered and all concerns are addressed so a well-informed decision can be made with confidence. Trained Counselors help the patient develop and organize a Question List (QL) which becomes a reference point for the patient to use to guide the conversation about the various treatment options available to the patient. The very act of developing and referring to the QL can help the patient feel empowered, focused and more in control of the conversation simultaneously helping to reduce stress.

O2O participants report feeling less anxious about their consultation, more confident walking in with a list of questions and getting the answers they need to make important decisions about their treatment. Doctors have reported that patients walk in more prepared after participating in O2O. In the end, the patient and doctor are working together as a team.

To schedule an appointment with a Gilda’s Club NYC Open to Options™ Specialist, please call 212-647-9700.

Gilda’s Club NYC Hosts Annual Professional Oncology Networking Breakfast

On Friday, April 24th, Gilda’s Club New York City hosted the Annual Professional Oncology Networking Breakfast. The breakfast was attended by 44 individuals representing 28 different organizations.

Every year, Gilda’s Club NYC hosts the networking breakfast to bring together different cancer support organizations and hospitals to share information about their programs and exchange resources.

All participating organizations and hospitals share a similar mission, which is to help individuals impacted by cancer. The individuals and families that we all serve need support now more than ever – and this networking event allowed for valuable collaboration and increased awareness of services available in New York City.

Organizations and hospitals that attended this year included: Breasties, Brookdale Senior Living, Calvary Hospital/Hospice, Cancer & Careers, CancerCare, Cancer Research Institute, City Bar Justice Center: Cancer Advocacy Project, The Creative Center at University Settlement, God’s Love We Deliver, Lymphoma Research Foundation, MSKCC: Resources for Life After Cancer, Mount Sinai Downtown, Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai Brooklyn, Mount Sinai Ruttenberg Treatment Center/ Dubin Breast Center, Moving For Life, NYU: Beatrice W. Welters Breast Health Outreach and Navigation Program, NYU Langone: The Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Patient AirLift Services, Paw it Forward, Ronald McDonald House NY, Sharsheret, Stupid Cancer, Supportful, Susan G. Komen Foundation, T.E.A.L. (Tell Every Amazing Lady About Ovarian Cancer), and The United Federation of Teacher’s Welfare Fund Health and Cancer Helpline (UFT).

Traditionally, this event is held at the Gilda’s Club NYC Clubhouse but due to the ongoing COVID-19 circumstances, this year’s event was held via Zoom. The Gilda’s Club NYC team and all participants were grateful for the opportunity and look forward to the next event – whether via Zoom or in person!

Thank You, Volunteers!

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month and there could not be a better time to highlight and thank all of the volunteers in our community.

Our volunteers have been the foundation of our support program for the past 25 years. The breadth of our program would not be as impactful without their valuable contributions. Our key fundraising events and member events would not be possible without their helping hands. Annually, we are supported by more than 350 volunteers.

Throughout this pandemic we have been blown away by volunteers’ willingness to be creative and help us transition to a virtual program. Their help and dedication has been critical to maintaining our special community. Thanks to our volunteers, we can ensure that our members do not have to face cancer alone, especially during these uncertain times.

For all of this, and for their dedication to our mission, we are forever grateful.

Virtual Concert with Pat Roddy for Gilda’s Club NYC

Join Gilda’s Club NYC and Pat Roddy on Wednesday, April 15 at 7pm for a virtual fundraiser and concert from the comfort of your own home!

Though we’d much rather be on a dance floor together, this party will take place on Facebook Live on the Pat Roddy Band page from 7-9pm and raise much-needed funds while having some socially distant fun.

Bruce, Billy, Paul, CCR … Roddy will bring them all to the party, get your requests ready!

And for every request you make – we’ll be raising funds for our free cancer support program. Gilda’s Club NYC provides free emotional and social support for anyone impacted by cancer including adults, teens, and children. The core program consists of weekly and monthly support groups, educational lectures, healthy lifestyle workshops and social activities. Over 10,000 individuals are reached annually by this unique program.

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic we have had to close our West Village Clubhouse and transition to a completely virtual program. We are a direct provider of essential services to cancer patients, who are now the most vulnerable population living in the epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic – but it cannot be done without financial support from friends like you. Funding will enable us to support the increasing needs of new and existing cancer patients and their families due to the coronavirus outbreak in New York City.

Join us for this fundraiser event and for every request of yours that Pat Roddy plays, please consider making a donation to support our members.

TEXT ‘GILDANY’ to 41444 or donate online HERE.

CEO Update: We Need Your Support Now More Than Ever

Friday, March 20, 2020

Dear Gilda’s Club NYC Community,

We hope you and your loved ones are all safe and healthy as we all navigate our lives through this health crisis. As important members of our community, we want you to know that the safety of our special community of cancer patients and their families, our staff and volunteers has been our top priority. In anticipation of the rapid spread of COVID-19, we temporarily closed our Clubhouse on West Houston Street on Friday, March 13th and it will remain closed until it is safe to return.

With our staff working remotely, we have adjusted our programming to provide free, virtual cancer support to our members and to welcome new members, so that no one faces cancer alone, even during uncertain times. We could not have accomplished this transition quickly and seamlessly without the dedicated support of our professional staff. I am forever grateful for what we have accomplished together as a team with one purpose in mind – our members.

COVID-19 is particularly threatening to the cancer community we serve. By transitioning our in-person program to our new accessible virtual program, our members can continue to participate in support groups, networking groups, healthy lifestyle workshops and lectures, all while safely remaining at home. Here are some highlights of our new virtual program:

All Weekly and Monthly support groups were set up for teleconferencing from March 16-20 and now will shift to the video conferencing platform Zoom, starting March 23rd, Monday – Friday.
Workshops were launched using Zoom on March 18th. We are continually adding to our calendar of virtual workshops as we explore new opportunities for our community.
Lectures will also be conducted via Zoom and our first virtual lecture is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31st.
Individual counseling by phone is available to our members and we are finding our members are taking advantage of this especially now that we have gone virtual.
A new Virtual Program Calendar is up on our website and is updated regularly.
Our Website has a new COVID-19 section which promotes our new virtual program calendar, welcoming of new members, and links to relevant resources that are updated daily.

We need your support now more than ever. Gilda’s Club NYC has provided free cancer support for 25 years to cancer patients and their families thanks to your generous support. We have postponed two important fundraising events this Spring expected to generate over $500,000 – critical funds needed to keep our program running by our team of professionals. Without continued funding, our ability to provide our program is at risk. While we understand that everyone today is faced with new challenges that can be very daunting, we ask, if you are able, to please continue to support our community, compromised by both cancer and the impact of COVID-19 virus in their everyday lives.

Please consider giving at this critical time to keep the Gilda’s Club Virtual Red Door open! A donation, of any amount, will make a difference. As always, we appreciate your commitment and support.

Stay safe and be well,

Lily Safani
CEO

Club Sparkle Celebrating 10 Years!

One of the most anticipated member events every year is our Annual Club Sparkle series – the week-long half-day program for children ages 5-12, who have a loved one living with cancer or are grieving the death of a loved one from cancer. The week long sessions take place four times a year during school breaks and include workshops, arts & crafts, lunch and snacks. This year marks the 10th Anniversary Year of our Club Sparkle series!

The first session of 2020 took place in February and featured activities facilitated by Yogi Beans, Bee in Motion, Energetic Juniors and a movie screening of Abominable. In addition to the action packed workshops the children let their creativity flow with arts and crafts activities including personalized puzzles, ceramic penguins, emoji suncatchers, and snowman doorknob hangers. The laughter and smiles from every child at Club Sparkle demonstrate the power of our unique community and the importance of our program.

We work every year to identify funding to provide four individual sessions for our Noogieland program members. If your company or organization is interested in sponsoring a session or getting involved as a corporate group, please contact Sheila Lennon for information.

Check out photos from our Club Sparkle series on our Facebook page HERE.

Day of Beauty & Gilda’s Galentines

The Associate Board of Gilda’s Club NYC recently teamed up with ARROJO Salon to host a Day of Beauty event for a small group of members. The event was held at ARROJO’s Soho Studio on Thursday, February 13th.

Members were treated to hair styling and make up application followed by a personal photo shoot with Caitlin Reeves Photography & Design. The evening focused on pampering and relaxation, the team at ARROJO took time to learn the preferences and personal style of each individual person. Everyone on the ARROJO team was generously hospitable and eager to help our community enjoy a special Galentine’s Day at the salon.

We’d like to thank our Associate Board, photographer Caitlin Reeves, L’Oreal, Andrew Arrojo and the entire staff at ARROJO for their kindness and generosity. We look forward to working together more in the future.

Check out more photos from the event HERE.

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