Campaign
Stepping through the red door of Gilda’s Club feels like entering a sanctuary of hope amidst the storm of my Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.”
For more than 25 years, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee has fostered a community of shared experience, providing evidence-based support at no charge to anyone impacted by cancer.
We first opened our doors in 1998. Since 2006, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee has welcomed the community into a warm and welcoming Midtown Nashville clubhouse that puts visitors at ease. Every choice we make is driven by what’s best for those who need it most. And our next step will be the most important in our organization’s history.
The neighborhood around us has evolved, and its character continues to change at a rapid pace. At the same time, we have reached a transformational milestone.
We are seeking a larger, longterm home that is purpose-built for the modern world, allowing us to increase accessibility, host outdoor activities, and expand in-person and hybrid service offerings while maintaining a serene, supportive environment.
We’re moving toward a better future, and we can’t do it without you.
Research shows that people who receive psychosocial support as part of their overall treatment plan have better outcomes, including improved communication with medical care teams and with family members, decreased feelings of isolation, depression, and loneliness, and improved treatment adherence.
Throughout our history, we have made a lasting difference in people’s lives. With your support, we can help more people in more ways, welcoming them into a home that’s
better equipped to support their needs. Easier access, additional space, and expanded capabilities will allow us to meet the growing needs of the Middle Tennessee community for decades to come.
Everyone impacted by cancer receives the support they want and need throughout their experience.
At Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee, we provide comprehensive support services at no cost to individuals who are affected by cancer, including those with a diagnosis, caregivers, and loved ones. Our diverse offerings, available in person or virtually, encompass support groups, workshops, classes, social activities, and educational resources. We prioritize personalized support plans tailored to individual and family needs, empowering members to take an active role in their healthcare decisions. We welcome people of all ages, genders, cancer types and stages, including those experiencing grief and bereavement.
Our evidence-based programs are facilitated by licensed clinical professionals and supported by volunteers who contribute more than 1,000 hours annually. In our envisioned future, unencumbered by space and access limitations, we will further maximize our impact and achieve even more for our community. As an affiliate of the nationwide Cancer Support Community, we are part of the largest provider of psychosocial support in the United States, committed to fostering connections and offering holistic care to those affected by cancer.
Gilda’s heals broken psyches and helps make whole those who cancer has ravaged.”
Jimmy Griscom, Member, Donor “
Founder Sandy Towers’ best friend, Kristy Olson, was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 26. Kristy shared her journey with Sandy, including her focus on relaxation techniques, nutrition, and even laughter. Though Kristy’s cancer diagnosis was terminal, she was dedicated to living well with her cancer for as long as possible.
Following Kristy’s death, Sandy was compelled to establish Gilda’s Club Nashville in 1998. For more than two decades we have provided free cancer support to thousands of individuals and families impacted by cancer in Middle Tennessee. In 2017, Gilda’s Club Nashville re-branded as Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee to highlight its commitment to expanding its reach to better serve 15 Middle Tennessee counties.
Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee is an independent 501(c)(3). All money donated to us stays here to directly support the Middle Tennessee community. We are also a licensed affiliate of Cancer Support Community (CSC), which allows us to share knowledge, research, resources, and ideas, but we do not share funding.
In short, all funds are raised locally, stay locally, and impact locally, and we do not fund our national organization nor do we fund research.
“Gilda’s Club has been a pillar in the cancer support community for 25 years! GC has helped raise spirits for those individuals and family members going through the most difficult times of their lives. As Nashville has grown, so has GC. In order to continue best serving our friends and community, it’s time for Gilda’s Club to prepare for the future. Until there is a cure for cancer, the demands on Gilda’s Club programs and services will continue to grow. We must be prepared to help those persevere through this difficult time!”
1998
Gilda’s Club Nashville opens on August 3.
Support expands with Noogieland, Gilda’s programming for children and teens.
Gilda’s Gang Half Marathon inspired by Dr. Gail Addlestone is launched.
Gilda’s Club moves to Division Street after completing a successful $3.86 million Capital Campaign and is re-dedicated in memory of Sandy Towers’ childhood friend, Kristy Olson Taylor.
Inaugural Golf Classic.
I am so appreciative and supportive of Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee. The services they provide to our patients at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center are critical to our mission of taking the very best care of our patients and their families.”
Dr. Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD
Celebrates 25th Anniversary and over 5,500 total members served. 2023
Williamson County satellite program opens. 2017 2018 2020
Gilda’s Club Nashville changes name to Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee and launches Red Door Society for major gift donors.
Williamson County location closes during pandemic.
Gilda’s Club offers entire cancer support program virtually.
Frist Foundation funds teleconferencing tech for 7 rooms.
Gilda’s Club offers cancer support in person, virtually, and hybrid.
Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee
GCMTN’s evidence-based cancer support program is available at no charge to people of all ages, cancer diagnoses/stages, genders, and backgrounds, including those living with a diagnosis and their supporting family and friends.
Of the broad community we serve, 53% of our members have a diagnosis and 47% are caregivers, family, and friends.
We serve 15 Middle Tennessee counties: Bedford, Cheatham, Coffee, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson.
As the only cancer support agency in Middle Tennessee, our programming and services are delivered by a highly qualified staff of licensed clinical professionals who are experts in providing psychosocial support for anyone impacted by cancer.
Our holistic approach includes five components: support groups, education, healthy lifestyle and movement classes, social connectivity, and resource referrals to outside agencies when needed.
We offer customized cancer support based on individual/family expressed needs and goals.
Our program is delivered by licensed clinical professionals. All support groups offered are led by licensed clinical and oncology professionals with clinical supervision from Gilda’s Club.
We meet the needs of our community by providing Cancer Resource Specialists on staff. Anyone with a question or need can call, email, or drop in. This service is critical to the community and our members, as it streamlines and demystifies the process of accessing care and support at a time when one can feel vulnerable and afraid.
We want people to come as they are, whether they are happy or sad, strong or struggling, laughing or crying. Please come on a good day or a bad day, or any day in between—all feelings are welcome.
We believe everyone is the expert of their own experience. When people share about how cancer has impacted their life, we respect their decisions and choices. We do this by encouraging unconditional positive regard and mutual respect.
To further support each person and their unique cancer experience, we do not advocate for any particular treatment or healthcare provider. We respect that these decisions should remain between a patient and medical care team.
We support an individual’s right to choose treatment and to stop treatment.
We understand that cancer impacts each person differently, and therefore are intentional about our language. For example, we avoid words like battle, warrior, or fight as these words suggest that we might have control over cancer’s impact or recurrence. The language we choose enables people to share their authentic experience.
We know that cancer can impact many areas of life and shift people’s day-to-day functioning; we also recognize a person’s quality of life does not have to disappear upon a cancer diagnosis.
We promote living well with cancer—whatever the outcome is.
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My family and friends are so wonderful, but they don’t get it like my Gilda’s group. They’ve become my closest friends–cheerleaders when I need them and someone to cry with when I’m having a hard day.”
Nashville’s rapid growth has made the area around our current home crowded and difficult to navigate. Bars and tourists abound. Neighborhood businesses that once shared their parking lots with Gilda’s Club have shifted to pay parking or closed down, with multistory hotels and condominiums taking their place.
Gilda’s Club, with a full-time staff of nine and part-time staff of five, currently has only 25 parking spaces. The program team can only offer one in-person program in any given time slot to ensure members can park. We are not able to fill our Clubhouse with programs due to parking limitations and location challenges. With your support, we can do more for our community at a grander scale.
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Gilda’s Club leadership has been very thoughtful and strategic in its decision to move to a new location to better serve its members and their families who have been affected by cancer. We are excited about this new chapter that will further strengthen their impact in our community for years to come.”
Scott Perry, President, Memorial Foundation
A new Clubhouse promises a substantial boost in our capacity, ensuring state-of-the-art cancer support for people throughout the day and evening. Ample parking and expanded space will accommodate multiple programs simultaneously, allowing more members to benefit from our services. Modernized program areas will cater to evolving needs, including larger support group rooms for increased distancing and additional offices for staff privacy during virtual support sessions and teleconferencing. Our warm and welcoming environment will feature cozy gathering spaces and updated program rooms.
Recognizing the importance of outdoor spaces, particularly for our health-compromised and immunocompromised community, our new location will boast a private, landscaped yard with tranquil areas for relaxation, play spaces, and picnic areas. Accessible from the interstate, the centralized location will facilitate easy access for participants seeking cancer support at no cost.
With your support, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee will flourish in its new home and will be brimming with programs, classes, workshops, and resources for all individuals and families seeking cancer support.
Together, we can reach our full potential and maximize our positive and lasting community impact.
Our namesake, Gilda Radner, was one of the original cast members of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” where 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, the original Willy Wonka.
When Gilda was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986, she quickly realized the importance of emotional and social support.
After attending The Wellness Community in Southern California, Gilda envisioned places of participation, education, hope, and friendship to be made available to adults and children with all types of cancer and their families and friends. After her death in May 1989, Gilda’s husband, Gene Wilder, and her psychotherapist, Joanna Bull, founded the flagship Gilda’s Club in New York City. Joanna Bull remains a vital part of the Cancer Support Community.