15th Annual Surviving With Style Fashion Show & Luncheon

Art Therapy at Gilda’s on KING5 Children’s Healthlink!

Art Therapy at Gilda’s Club on KING5 Children’s Healthlink!

Our fantastic Gilda’s Club kids who participate in Small Talk, our art therapy group for any child affected by cancer, got to show their stuff!  Our kids were invited to participate in a KING5 Children’s Healthlink story showing Art Therapy.  The kids gathered at Gilda’s Club, paint brushes in hand, and began creating art work.  The KING5 crew were friendly and respectful.  All children who wanted to participate created works of art showing the emotions they have felt while living with cancer.  They got to show what different sides of cancer looks like…the kids side.

Their story will air beginning next Tuesday Dec. 6th, in the morning news.

Here are times to look for it:

Jean Enersen’s KING 5 Children’s HealthLink airs
Tuesdays in the 5am news, approximately a quarter past the hour.
It airs again in KING’s Tuesday 7am news approximately a quarter past the hour.
Also: Tuesday on KONG between 7am and 9am.

After that it will repeat one day on the KING 5 News at noon, with producer’s choice of days and airtime.

Friday look for the story on Northwest Cable News:
NWCN Fridays at about 6:20 (live) with re-airs at 6:50, 7:20 & 7:50. And 10:20ish (live) with re-airs at 10:50, 11:20, 11:50, 12:20, 12:50, 1:20 & 1:50.

The story repeats on Saturdays in the 8am morning news, between the quarter hour and half past.

Look for your story on our website after it first airs. Go to king5.com, click on the HealthLink tab on top, and go down the HealthLink page to see Children’s HealthLink.
http://www.king5.com/

A big thank you to Jeannie Moore, Producer at KING5 TV, for supporting our kids and their story.

The Day I Found Out

On October 26th, more than a dozen cancer survivors who will be modeling in the November 15 Tacoma Surviving With Style Fashion Show & Luncheon had their stories filmed for The Day I Found Out Project.  They told stories about: learning that their child had cancer; telling their parents they had cancer; supporting a spouse on their cancer journey; getting married after cancer; losing their fertility from cancer; and raising young children while living with the disease.  All the stories were filled with hope and encouragement.  Please look for the videos at www.TheDayIFoundOut.com.

Come hear all of the models’ inspiring stories at the Surviving With Style Fashion Show and Luncheon.  There’s still time to get your ticket, but don’t wait too long!  Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased by visiting our website.  The event will be held on Tuesday, November 15th, from 11:30am-1:00pm at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, located at 1500 Broadway (MAP).  

The Day I Found Out Project provides an online space for those recently diagnosed with cancer to find inspiration from survivors who are further along in their journey.  Storytellers also find healing from sharing the story of the day they were diagnosed.  To learn more about The Day I Found Out Project or to submit your own video, visit www.TheDayIFoundOut.com.

Gilda’s Club Gets Schooled

On Monday, October 10th Gilda’s Club representatives and volunteers spoke with 46 second year nursing students at Seattle Central Community College about the cancer experience from a patient’s perspective.  The students asked great questions and were very interested in learning from real patients.  The meeting also allowed Sally Benson, Program Director, to provide the students with information about Gilda’s Club.  We hope the students will share this information with their patients after they graduate.

Longtime Gilda’s Club members Jerry Lieberman and Kristin St. Goddard provided the unique perspective of what it’s like to be a patient being treated for cancer.  They brought humor to the meeting, letting the students know that people living with cancer still like to laugh. Jerry says, “If every student got just one tidbit of advice from what we’ve gone through, they’ll be better nurses.”

The students were grateful for the opportunity to learn from Jerry and Kristin and thanked them for their honesty and courage.  Brittany, a nursing student, says “It was eye-opening and piqued my interest in oncology.”

From the Boat Street Kitchen into the Clubhouse

Last night Susan Kaplan of the Boat Street Kitchen came in for our September issue of Cooking Out Loud and I think it’s safe to say that I’m still full from all the delicious food! As a cancer survivor herself, Susan was able to connect with the mission of Cooking Out Loud which is learning how to make easy, fast, inexpensive food that always tastes good.

The recipes included corn pudding, roasted chicken, spinach gratin, veggie quiche, breakfast custard, creme caramel, and fish with chermoula and cous cous tied into little packets! Everything was cooked in the oven and used the same main ingredients.

But let’s get to the good stuff. A few hours before the class she sent me a list of recipes and our first thought was, “How is she going to make all these dishes in just an hour and a half?!?” Well she definitely proved us wrong! Not only did she make all this delicious food and have it ready to eat before 8:00 but she gave us so much food that we struggled to eat it all!
We truly can’t thank Susan enough for coming into our kitchen and teaching us some great tricks- like the best way to pull unwanted egg shells our of a mixture- and showed us easy and manageable ways to create delicious food in no time!

To experience Susan’s wonderful food, visit the Boat Street Kitchen on Western.

The Day I Found Out Project

Today, Zoey and I met with the wonderful people behind the website TheDayIFoundOut.com.  The mission of the site is to create a community where people can share the story of one of the most difficult days of their lives – the day they heard that they or a loved one had cancer.   Learning of a cancer diagnosis is shocking, confusing, devastating, and overwhelming all at the same time.  Hearing the story of someone who’s been there can be incredibly comforting.  But just as therapeutic is the ability to tell your own story.  We love that this site allows users to upload their own videos.  Check it out and consider making a video of your own!  -Liz

Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle

Our annual week-long Camp Sparkle has officially begun! This morning began with kids, counselors and parents arriving to kick-off our busiest, loudest and most fun week of the summer! And it all started with singing and dancing. Victor- Gilda’s Club favorite pianist/vocalist passed out sheets of music and led an amazing sing-along. From “Joy to the World” to “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” the Clubhouse was filled with kids singing their little hearts out.

After Welcome Circle every morning, the kids and teens take part in some kind of support programming. This morning they did a large group art therapy project that was led by Michelle Massey who runs our Family Support Program! After art therapy it was time for lunch! We had pizza, salad, carrots, grapes and chocolate chip cookies that were delicious! The kids ate and ate in order to store some energy for the afternoon.

Unfortunately the weather is going all Seattle on us and the plan to go to the dog park had to be altered.But we figured everything out and instead of us going to see and play with therapy dogs, they came to us! It’s been a great day so far!

Keep checking us out throughout the week for updates on all the Camp Sparkle action!

Zoey

Summer, Summer, Summer Time

A few weeks ago we visited Nathan Hale HS for our last Teens, Cancer and Community presentation of the semester! With a break from the program this fall to revamp everything, we reached out to almost 2,000 teenagers all over the Greater Seattle area since February.  Adding to our already 25,000 teens we’ve talked to in the past five years.

The feedback from the schools, teachers and most importantly the students, was overwhelmingly positive. Most of the teens are so appreciative for the honest information we share with them but also thankful to just hear someone talk about cancer. So many of them have already been touched by cancer- whether through a parent, friend or classmate- and it’s important for them to know that they aren’t alone when dealing with it.

With some new goals in mind, the updated presentation includes new pictures and videos that teens can really relate to, such as a video about tanning and the Jersey Shore.

We really highlight skin cancer and reducing risk for the future. We provide details on the best ways to protect their skin as well as the truth about sunscreen and the dangers of tanning. Feeling like summer was just around the corner all spring long, the teens are really interested when we talk about this. They want to be out in the sun- but learning about the realities of skin cancer and how it can affect them at a young age really makes them think about choices they make. Many say that after the presentation they will change their skin protection habits and start wearing sunscreen and a more regular basis.

I won’t lie- getting a few months off from visiting high schools once a week is a nice break, but I’m already looking forward to updating the presentation for the fall and continuing with the program. Teens have so many great things to say and when it comes to a topic like cancer they have a lot of questions that deserve to be answered.

Remember to reapply that SPF 30!

HAGS,

Zoey

Teens, Tears and Terry Tazioli

For the past 6 years teens from all over Washington State have sent in their personal stories with cancer for our “It’s Always Something” Teen Writing Contest.

On a Saturday afternoon in May we held our award ceremony in honor of our winners. Every year we get an abundance of amazing essays and this year was no different. Terry Tazioli and Anna Gottlieb host the ceremony by talking about how the contest came to be and how much it’s grown in just six fast years. There are two categories in which teens can enter. The Kai Leamer category, in honor of Terry’s sister, is for teens whose parents, siblings, family members or friends have had cancer. The Guy Robichaud category, named after our first ever winner, is for teens who have had a personal cancer diagnosis. Guy has been an everlasting presence here at Gilda’s Club Seattle. His mom Elizabeth has remained a part of our community and been a great help with our writing contest.

As Terry introduces each winner they stand in front of their fellow teens, families, friends, teachers and mentors and bravely read their essays. One girl lost mother when she was younger and is trying to hold on to the few precious memories she has. Another tells her story through poem and how she feels branded as “the cancerous child.” A young man tells us of his mother’s battle with cancer and how it was like a rollercoaster of ups and downs, twists and turns; but how in the end it brought them together. Needless to say, by the end of the ceremony there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Cancer is hard enough to deal with as an adult; what these teens endure and how they persevere is remarkable. They are truly an inspiration. You can read the winning essays on our website, http://gildasclubseattle.org/noogieland/WritingContest.php?year=2011…just grab your tissues first.

Thank you to all of our winners, contestants, families and friends. Also a huge shout out to Terry Tazioli and the rest of the family for their endless support and love!

Zoey Wainberg

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French Bistro Cooking at Gilda’s Club Seattle

On Monday, May 16th, Chef Jim Drohman of Cafe Presse and Le Pichet came to Gilda’s Club to demonstrate how to cook cancer treatment friendly dishes using classic French techniques.  As a cancer survivor, Jim is well-acquainted with the special needs of those in treatment.  He prepared a delicious meal of veloute de poulet (the best chicken soup we’ve ever tasted), poached chicken with vegetables and coconut rice pudding.  Jim was a great sport in working with our not exactly professional stove.  Our students packed the house and ate up Jim’s every word.

The event reminded us that we hadn’t been to Cafe Presse in far too long so we returned for lunch on Thursday.  We could have been happy with the a lunch of just their delicious bread, but our baked eggs and salad put us over the top.  It seems great minds think alike, as we ran into a fellow Cooking Out Loud student at the restaurant!

Thank you to Jim and Cafe Presse/Le Pichet for such a special evening!

-Liz

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