Gilda's Club Chicago opened our signature red door in 1998. We provide a warm and welcoming meeting place where men, women and children diagnosed with cancer, and family and friends, join with others to build social, emotional and informational support as an essential supplement to medical care. Membership and our program are free of charge. We offer support and networking groups, lectures, workshops and social events in our home-like clubhouse.

Gilda's Club Chicago is located at 537 North Wells Street and one of 20 Clubs now open. We are a tax-exempt, non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Learn more about Gilda's Club Chicago's free program by touring our website. For more information, please call us at 312.464.9900. At Gilda's Club Chicago, no one has to live with cancer alone.

Gilda's Club Chicago is a support community for men, women and children living with cancer, and families and friends. We offer a place where members join together to give and receive support. At Gilda's Club we believe:

• Our members living with cancer are the experts - and we listen and learn from them
• As experts, our members offer each other support while learning how best to live with cancer
• Cancer happens to the entire family and its social network, so club membership is extended to include all who are impacted by cancer. Each member develops a Customized Membership Plan to meet their needs. All are welcome.

Gilda Radner is best known as an original cast member of Saturday Night Live. As one of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" she created lovable characters like Rosanne Rosannadanna, Emily Litella and Lisa Loopner.

Gilda's astonishing career was cut short when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986. Joanna Bull, Gilda's cancer psychotherapist, introduced her to cancer support groups. Recognizing how integral the support experience was to her treatment, Gilda's dream was to develop a community where anyone with cancer would receive the kind of support she had found. In her best-selling book It's Always Something, Gilda wrote about her experience living with cancer. She spoke of establishing such a support community in New York when she felt better and said, "There should be a thousand of them."

Gilda's ovarian cancer was diagnosed too late for effective treatment and she died in 1989. Following her death, Gilda's husband, actor and comedian Gene Wilder, Joanna Bull and many of Gilda's friends founded Gilda's Club in her memory. The first Club with its signature red door opened in New York City in June 1995. Under the guidance of Gilda's Club Worldwide, there are 20 Clubs open in North America and 7 Clubs currently in development.

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Membership at Gilda's Club is based on the Basic III Plus program, a personalized plan designed to enhance one's life while living with cancer. Each member creates a personalized program from four core components - Support and Networking Groups, Lectures and Workshops, Social Activities and "Plus" programs. Members choose activities from the program that are right for them. As always, membership and participation in all our activities is free.

To receive more information click here or call 312.464.9900.

Support Groups are weekly meetings that provide an opportunity to share and explore the emotional and social issues related to living with cancer. Members share their expertise based on their personal experience. Support groups are facilitated by mental health professionals.

• Wellness Groups are designed for adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. Members share their experiences with the goal of helping each other develop skills to live with their illness.

• Family Groups are opportunities for adult family members and friends of someone diagnosed with cancer, to come together and share their feelings.

Networking Groups are monthly gatherings that bring together members with specific interests. These interests may focus around specific cancer diagnoses (i.e. breast, prostate, melanoma, etc.) or they may be situational (Living with Cancer in your 20's and 30's, Bereavement).  Groups provide the opportunity for members to share common issues and experiences, exchange practical information and resolve issues related to their specific group. Networking groups are facilitated by volunteer healthcare professionals such as physicians, nurses and social workers.

Our Mind-Body Workshops provide opportunities for members to acquire new skills and techniques to help them learn to live with cancer. Our Workshops are great fun and provide an opportunity to explore your creative side. Try your hand at pottery, writing, improvisation, or a host of other offerings.

Social activities provide opportunities to connect with others in the community. Members, guests, staff and volunteers enjoy activities such as potluck and anniversary dinners and seasonal parties.

Our Basic III program is enhanced by three supplemental programs:

• Noogieland? is for children who have been diagnosed with cancer and for those who have cancer in their family. Noogieland is a fun, supportive play environment filled with stimulating toys, books and art supplies. Customized play and support activities for both younger children and teens are facilitated by licensed professional volunteers and Gilda's Club staff.

• Family Focus sessions help members and their families learn to live with cancer together. Each family develops their own unique game plan to provide techniques that draw on each other's strengths to make living with cancer more manageable for everyone in the family.

• Team Convene is a special meeting for reaching out to the extended family of the person living with cancer to help build an active support network. The Team Convene establishes a framework to help everyone express and understand each other's concerns and establishes a strategy for distributing tasks and handling day-to-day responsibilities.

To receive more information click here or call 312.464.9900.

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Gilda's Club Chicago publishes a quarterly newsletter, the "GILDAGRAM". The Gildagram features news, information and Club events written by our volunteers and staff. It is published onsite and is also mailed to all our members. To view the most recent Gildagram or our archived issues, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions about Gilda's Club and the Gilda's Club program.

How do I become a member?
It's simple. Just call Gilda's Cub Chicago and ask to speak with a Program Coordinator. They will schedule a time for you, and any family members or friends who want to join you, to attend one of our New Member Meetings.

How much does it cost to join?
Nothing! Everything at Gilda's Club is free. There is never a charge for any of our members or their guests.

Do I need to become a member to attend your activities?
Yes. However, we recognize that sometimes a person may want to experience our community before they join. If this is the case, please contact one of our Program Coordinators and let them know which activity you'd like to try. We'll be happy to make the arrangements for you.

Gilda's Club is just for women, right?
Wrong! Gilda's Club is for men, women and children, and family members and friends whose lives have been touched by cancer.

I finished my treatments over a year ago, but it's only recently that I've begun to think that I could use some support. Does Gilda's Club Chicago have anything for me?
Definitely. Gilda's Club Chicago has offerings for those who are newly diagnosed and for those who have completed their treatments. These programs include Wellness Groups, lectures, workshops, and social activities.

My loved one died of cancer, what programs can help me?
Gilda's Club Chicago offers bereavement support groups, "Connections through Loss." This is an opportunity for you to meet with others who have lost a loved one to cancer. In addition, programs such as Family Focus or Team Convene may also be of assistance to you and your family. Contact one of our Program Coordinators to schedule a time to come in and learn more about how we can support you and your family through your grieving process.

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Gilda's Club Chicago
537 North Wells Street
Chicago, Illinois 60654

Hours of Operation
Monday - Thursday 9am to 8pm
Friday 9am to 5pm
Saturday 9am to 3pm
Closed Sundays and Holidays