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Gilda’s Club: Providing people living with cancer with emotional, social, medical and professional assistance

The original co-founders of Gilda’s Club in Toronto were Ricki Harris, who visited the New York Club and became totally enthused by the idea, Lorna Silverstein and Linda Rechtsman. Lorna is herself a cancer survivor. The three spoke to their friends and formed a Board in order to create a Gilda’s Club here in Toronto.

According to Lorna, the Board originally thought of opening in the north of the city but Andrew Alexander, the Chairman of Second City had decided to move the review to Blue Jay Way and suggested they use the Old Fire Hall for Gilda’s Club because of the connection that Gilda Radner had with it in her career. Gilda first performed in Toronto in Godspell, which opened in June 1972 at the Royal Alex. The cast included Eugene Levy, Jayne Eastwood, Andrea Martin, Martin Short and Victor Garber. In August 1974, Gilda joined Second City, which then performed in what is now the Community Room on the second floor. Other cast members included Dan Ackroyd, John Candy and Eugene Levy.

The building was built in1886 and was originally called the Central Fire Hall; it became known as the Old Fire Hall when it ceased to be used as one. The founding Chair Ricki Harris was reduced to tears when she first saw the mess the Fire hall was in, when it became available, and the obstacles to making the Club a reality seemed overwhelming. Even if they could find the money to buy it from the City of Toronto, how could they ever pay for the renovations, decoration, furnishing etc. that would be necessary to turn it into a Gilda’s Club? However, they pressed on and the initial approach to the city, who still owned the building, was welcomed by Barbara Hall, the then Mayor but, before anything could be organized, the city’s amalgamation took place and nobody in the new government seemed able to address the issue. The TD bank agreed to assume the mortgage on the building, which was eventually purchased at market price and the Board then started the process of pulling together a team to redesign and renovate the interior.

Kimberley Seldon, a designer, volunteered her time and very soon a whole community of designers got involved in the project. Cees van Growl took on the job of being the main contractor and his sons provided architectural help. Everybody then recruited the necessary craftsmen to do the work. All of the design and contracting team made their contributions on a pro bono basis and a wide variety of companies donated all the materials. This allowed the project to move forward and in the end, between 90 and 95% of the cost of the renovation was done for free.

When the structural renovation was complete and the plasterboard was in place, everyone who had contributed and their families and friends and anyone who was living with cancer were invited to a party to celebrate the progress and to write their thoughts on the walls before the interior decorating work started. It proved to be a tremendous success and provided additional impetus towards the completion of the work and the creation of the Club’s membership. All their messages of support are now, literally, part of the fabric of the Club.

The original Gilda’s Club had established that the appropriate atmosphere for the Clubs was a warm, welcoming and friendly atmosphere much like a home but, with a series of rooms for particular purposes such as a Living Room for relaxing, Support Group Rooms for workshops and family meetings, a workshop area for art projects, and stress reduction activities like meditation, Noogieland, a playroom for kids, and the “It’s Always Something Room”, a quiet room for personal time, a large Community meeting room etc. In the case of the Toronto Club, because of the involvement of so many designers, each room has a unique personality but they are all beautifully designed and furnished and exemplify the home-like atmosphere that is the foundation of the Club’s success. The Club’s motto is “Living with cancer? Come as you are.”

The Club is now a great success because it has successfully implemented the mission of all Gilda’s Clubs in providing people living with cancer the emotional and social support they need to combat the disease and to live their lives to the fullest. The Club believes that the members are the experts, since each individual’s situation is unique. Gilda’s Club has also established close ties with the medical and professional organizations involved with cancer and is now a respected partner in its treatment.