Celebrating 20 Years A Conversation

Summer 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
Gilda’s Club: Celebrating 20 Years
A Conversation with CEO, Lily Safani
Meet the CEO, Lily Safani
Funder’s Update
At the Clubhouse
Event Highlights
20 Years of Gilda’s Club NYC
GCNYC CEO, Lily Safani on stage at Carolines on Broadway for Gildafest’15
How long have you been with Gilda’s Club (GC) and why did you
choose to work there?
Club’s mission.
What is the most important thing
you would want someone to know
I have been with Gilda’s Club for about GC that perhaps they don’t
eight years. Prior to joining Gilda’s know?
Club, I spent several years in healthcare and became particularly inter- People don’t realize how welcoming
ested in the disparities in healthcare our community is to individuals of
for the underserved and uninsured all ages living with cancer. When
populations of NYC.
they walk into our Clubhouse, they
can immediately see what a special
When the opportunity to work at place it is – unlike the hospitals
Gilda’s Club presented itself, I found and doctors’ offices they have visit paralleled my own beliefs on the ited. It is really like visiting someimportance of education and sup- one’s beautiful home. But most import for all people living with can- portant, they probably realize they
cer and their families. I jumped at should have contacted us earlier.
the chance to help serve a populaContinued on page 4
tion that could benefit from Gilda’s
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Board of Directors
Robert J. Easton, Chairman
Mark J. Alles
Laura Bartlett
Rob Bochicchio
Robert C. Faulkner
Frank Gibbons
Amanda Goddard, PhD
Carl S. Goldfischer, MD
Jennifer Hill
Sofija Jovic, PhD
Mike Lee
Ellen A. Lubman
Matthew R. Patterson
Michael J. Posillico
Andrea F. Rabney
Jami Rubin
Francis J. Russo
Alexander Scott
William S. Slattery
Associate Board
Krista Gundersen, Chair
Dara Adams
Andrew Altschuler
Julia Bartlett
Tracey Doolin
Maria Franceschelli
Blaike A. Hannay
Neil Heckman
Christina Kim
Megan Knurr
Andrew Levison
Ashley Loesch
Andrew Maksymowicz
Zach R. Mattler
Alex Modell
Ellie Newman
Bridgette Payne
Tiffany Robin
Ari Schnitzer
Jessica Serre
Whitnee Shulman
Steven Smolyn
John Switzer
Stefani Zien
Staff
Lily Safani, CEO
Migdalia Torres
Deborah K. Wilson
Nadine Bartholomew
Christine Braunstein
Joshua Fesi
Michele Halusic
Nivia Herron
Carolina Hoires
Eileen Jackson
Ramona Maysonet
Jordan Patinkin
Michelle Ramlochan
Pontip Rasavong
Emily Riordan
Jessilyn Torres
GildaGram
Publication of the Development Office
Deborah K. Wilson, Director of Development
Pontip Rasavong, Development and Marketing Communications Associate
Gilda’s Club New York City, Inc.
195 West Houston Street • New York, NY 10014
(212) 647-9700 • [email protected]
www.gildasclubnyc.org • @gildasclubnyc
FUNDER’S UPDATE
CANCER SUPPORT
COMMUNITY KID SUPPORT
And the Winners are ...
This quarter wrapped up our 6th
Annual “It’s Always Something”
Teen Essay Contest. Fifty-four total
essays were submitted from teens
throughout the boroughs of New
York City and Nassau and Suffolk
Counties on Long Island, who have
been impacted by cancer in any way.
Fundraising Day in New York,
sponsored by the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
GCNYC Grant Writer, Christine
Braunstein
pre-submitted
a
proposal, along with 100 other
applicants, for the chance at
winning one of three prizes at
Gilda’s Club is proud to be the the workshop, AFP Real Time
recipient of a Cancer Support Grantmaking.
Community Kid Support Program
award for the coming 2015/2016 Her winning submission, Cancer
academic school year. The program Transitions:
Moving
Beyond
will be held in collaboration with Treatment, was chosen for the
the McBurney YMCA.
grant after being critiqued before
a live audience along with the two
With Kid Support, children have other top proposals.
been able to reduce the stress of
cancer in the family by learning Cancer Transitions, part of our
communication and relaxation Gilda Comes to You program
skills, increasing communication based out of the Queens Cancer
around cancer with their family Center, is a year-long evidencemembers and gaining age- based program of education and
appropriate knowledge of basic support for cancer survivors, and
cancer concepts. We are grateful is designed to answer many of
to the Cancer Support Community the questions patients have about
and to our community partner cancer survivorship post-cancer
McBurney YMCA for helping us treatment.
implement this program.
We want to thank Sue Shattuck,
AFP FUNDRAISING DAY IN
Chair and JuWon Choi, CoNEW YORK
Chair of Fundraising Day 2015;
as well as the program’s generous
supporters and judges, including
The New York Community Trust,
Booth Ferris Foundation, The New
York Women’s Foundation, The
Clark Foundation and Columbia
University
Business
School’s
th
On June 12 , Gilda’s Club New executive education program.
York City was awarded a grant in
the amount of $5,000 at the 2015 Congratulations, Christine!
Campers and a waxy Taylor Swift
at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum
Camp Sparkle
Springs into Fun
With the help of six Junior
Associate Board teen volunteers,
fifteen children participated in
April’s “Spring Break” session of
Camp Sparkle which included arts
& crafts, games, workshops, and a
fun-filled field trip.
Yogi Beans returned to provide an
interactive yoga workshop which
included body movement, exercise,
music and imagination. Improv for
Kids provided a high-energy acting
and improvisation class through
creative comedy arts. Campers
also welcomed Kaya Chwals, who
led the group in creating personal
Watercolor Portraits. Campers
also took a field trip to Madame
Tussaud’s Wax Museum in Times
Square for a full tour and 4D show.
The exciting week wrapped up
in traditional camp fashion with
a pizza and ice cream party along
with a screening of fan favorite, Toy
Story.
The next Camp session is scheduled
for the summer from July 13-17.
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All teen entrants and their families
and friends were invited to the
Clubhouse for a special Reception.
The top three winners bravely
read their essays aloud to those in
attendance and the readings were
met with both laughter and tears.
Special thanks goes to our judges
Tonya Hurley, Holly Black, Ally
Condie, Adele Griffin, Jenny Han,
Rainbow Rowell, Jay Russell and
Justine Ciovacco, and also to Nancy
Cambino for providing concert
ticket prizes for the winners and as
a raffle to the participants.
Ericson Hernandez, Aliyha Gill & Caroline Schneider
First Place:
“Sweet Caroline”
by Caroline Schneider
Second Place:
“A Touch of Cancer”
by Ericson Hernandez
Third Place:
“Red Lipstick”
by Aliyha Gill
The Gilda’s Club Community
Celebrates 20 Years with a Birthday Party!
Members, staff, board members and
family and friends came together
on June 19th at the Clubhouse to
celebrate Gilda’s Club NYC’s 20th
Birthday with a fun Roaring 20’s
themed party, which was decorated
by a wonderful team of volunteers
from ID Media.
Mayo (pictured above) spoke about
his experience at Gilda’s Club,
sharing that he was one of the first
members to join when we opened in
1995. To this day, he is still an active
member of our community.
A party favorite, The Workshop
Acapella, performed a short set
while a very talented jazz duo from
Mas Music played througout the
evening.
Special thanks to Magnolia Bakery
for providing us with the amazing
3-tier birthday cake and Starbright
Floral Design for the beautiful
flowers.
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County Hospital for Cancer
Latino population. We now
Care in Brooklyn; Montefiorehave weekly and monthly
Einstein Center for Cancer
programs to support this group.
Sometimes taking the first step to
Care in the Bronx; The Mount
reach out to us is the hardest one.
Sinai Hospital Ruttenberg • Launching our Teen Essay
But once they do, they realize they
Treatment Center on the Upper
have made the right choice.
Contest in 2010. This led to the
East Side; and Queens Cancer
publication of our first E-book
Center in Jamaica, Queens.
which is a compilation of essays
2015 marks the 20th Anniversary of
from the contest. To date,
GC. What would you say are some
we have had more than 330
of the more memorable milestones? • Expanding our youth program
submissions.
to include support groups for
children and teens, as well as
• Implementing and expanding
launching Camp Sparkle for What are some things that GC is
our offsite program, Gilda
doing this year to celebrate?
kids 5-12 years old.
Comes to You, so we can reach
more New Yorkers living with
cancer around NYC, especially • Growing
our
bilingual This year is our milestone year and
Lily in
Safani
continued
from
page
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underserved neighborhoods.
Spanish/English
program our 20th Anniversary Leadership
We are currently at: Kings
to provide support for the Campaign has been launched to
help us reach our goal to expand
our Gilda Comes To You program
to make it more accessible to more
New Yorkers throughout the city.
ensure our free cancer support
program is accessible to more
men, women, teens and children
who are diagnosed with cancer
and their loved ones – not just at
Gilda’s Club opened its Red Door on our Clubhouse in the West Village,
June 9, 1995. We had a big birthday not just at the hospitals where they
party celebration at the Clubhouse receive treatment, but where they
in June and we will be closing the live, work, or go to school - Gilda
year with a big celebration at our Will Come To You.
20th Anniversary Benefit Gala in
November.
The need for our services is
growing, not diminishing. The
What goals do you have for GC in Institute of Medicine has projected
the near future and how important a 45% increase in cancer incidence
is the Leadership Campaign to by the year 2030. Cancer is part of
our reality today and tomorrow.
achieving those goals?
As we move forward, we want to That is why, more than ever, our
Lily Safani continued from page 1
Leadership Campaign is needed to
help us realize our goals for the next
20 years.
We have always greatly appreciated
our donors because without them,
we would not still be here. Our
members would not be able to get
the support they both need and
want – the support many of them
would say is a “lifeline.”
95% of our funding comes from
individuals, private foundations,
and corporations who believe in the
work we do and we are so grateful
for their support.
20 Years of Gilda’s Club New York City
Gilda’s Club NYC
Opens its Red Door
at 195 West Houston
Street
1997
2004
Gilda Radner Way
is unveiled
Gilda’s Marathon Team is formed &
participates in the NYC Marathon
2008
2005
1995
1,000+
members
100,000
member visit to
the Clubhouse
th
Camp Sparkle is added to
the Noogieland program
2009
Actress
Emma Stone
joins Gilda’s
Club NYC as an
Ambassador
2011
2012
2011
2010
First annual Gildafest
honors Amy Poehler
Gilda Comes to You
is launched in Brooklyn
2014
2015
Gilda’s Club NYC
20th Birthday Party!
E-book
published
Gilda’s Bike Team is formed
& participates in the TD
Five Boro Bike Tour
The first Teen Essay Contest is held
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The 8th Annual Benefit Luncheon raises over $310,000
Thanks to the generosity of our
Luncheon sponsors, donors and more
than 200 guests, our 8th Annual Benefit
Luncheon raised over $310,000 for our
program.
We were pleased to honor Judith Dunn,
PhD, VP, Global Head of Clinical
Development, Roche Innovation Center
New York, with the Red Door Award
and Susan Molineaux, PhD, President
and CEO, Calithera Biosciences, with
the Gilda Award, in recognition of
their commitment and work within the
cancer community.
Big Laughs at the First Annual
Gildafest’15
L-R: Co-Host Ana Gasteyer, Honoree Amy Poehler and Co-Host Rachel Dratch
few personal stories about
his friendship with her.
Actress Andrea Martin
presented Amy Poehler with
the Gilda Radner Award
for Innovation in Comedy,
which she accepted with
great wit and hilarity, yet
reverently as she spoke of
how Gilda inspired her.
Many thanks to all of our
performers: Vanessa Bayer,
Aidy Bryant, Hannibal
Buress, Michael Che, Billy
Eichner, Ilana Glazer, Abbi
Jacobson, Colin Jost, Julie
Klausner, Bobby Moynihan,
Kenan Thompson, Upright
Citizens Brigade Theater,
and Michelle Wolf and of
course, Andrea Martin,
Alan Zweibel, Ana Gasteyer,
Rachel Dratch and Amy
Poehler.
Former SNL writer, Alan
Zweibel also spoke fondly of
Gilda Radner as he shared a
Be sure to keep an eye out
for Gildafest’16 early next
year!
20th Anniversary Leadership Circle
Diamond Benefactor
Jami Rubin
Goldman Sachs
Slattery Family
Foundation
This year the Associate Board
honored Cynthia Sansone
and Rachel DeMolfetto,
Founders of Mondays at
Racine. Mondays at Racine
is an in-salon wellness and
beauty program that has
been taking care of women
living with cancer for over
twelve years by providing
complimentary spa and
salon services to individuals
with cancer.
AB member and Events
Platinum Benefactor
The Pierre Hotel, New York
Joan & Bob Easton
Honoring
Jean-Pierre Bizzari, MD
Executive Vice President, Clinical Research-Oncology
Celgene Corporation
The Gildie Awards Honors
Mondays at Racine
The Gilda’s Club NYC
Associate Board (AB) hosted
their fourth annual Gildie
Awards in April, and raised
$17,500.
The sold-out and tightly
packed show at Carolines
on Broadway was a huge
hit with performances from
some of the best comedians
around, and raised more
than $80,000 for Gilda’s
Club.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to: Amy Robach,
News Anchor, ABC’s “Good Morning
America”, for returning as host;
Sebastian Clarke, Appraiser, “Antiques
Roadshow” for expertly helping us
with our auction; GCNYC member
Carmen Vazquez for sharing her
touching and inspiring story about her
cancer experience; and GCNYC Board
Member and Luncheon Chair, Jami
Rubin.
Co-Chair, Ashley Sampson,
received the Gildie Leadership
Award for her outstanding
work on the Board.
Honorary Co-Chairs
Joanna Bull • Mandy Patinkin • Karen & Gene Wilder
Guests danced the night
away to DJ Vida Ventura and
a high energy performance
by Temporary Grace. Food
and drinks were generously
provided by: Relish Catering,
Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffe,
Three Wishes Bakery and
a sponsored open bar by
Diageo. Special thanks also
to Starbright Floral Design,
T.A.P and Juice Generation.
Contact Eileen Jackson at (212) 647-9700 or
[email protected]
Silver Benefactor
Slattery Family Foundation
Red Door Anniversary Patron
Sponsorships Now Available!
To find out more about the Leadership Circle, contact Deborah
Wilson at (212) 647-9700 or [email protected]
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
For more information about any of the listed events, please visit our website at
www.gildasclubnyc.org under Special Events or e-mail [email protected]
Keep a look out this summer
for the AB’s next social!
July
August
September
Check our Website, Facebook and Twitter througout the summer for any upcoming events!
Associate Board member Ashley Sampson and friends take a moment to pose
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LIMITED SPOTS
AVAILABLE
So you’ve finally decided to run a marathon.
Congrats!
Join our team today to
receive entry into the
2015 TCS NYC Marathon on 11/1/15.
Email: gildaontherun@
gildasclubnyc.org
Gilda’s Club New York City Mission:
To Support, Educate, and Empower Cancer Patients and Their Families
Our free comprehensive cancer program includes support groups, educational lectures and workshops for everyone impacted by cancer – men, women, teens, and children.
Gilda’s Club New York City
195 West Houston Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 647-9700
www.gildasclubnyc.org
@gildasclubnyc
#gildasclubnyc