History & Founders

Gilda’s Club, named for comedienne Gilda Radner of Saturday Night Live fame, was created because of her wish that no one face cancer alone. Gilda Radner was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986. After her death in 1989, co-founders Joanna Bull and Gene Wilder began the process to launch the first Gilda's Club in New York City.

Founders

In 1999, four women living in the same desert community in Southern California were personally touched by cancer. Each had a family member or friend diagnosed with cancer and experienced the many feelings that accompany the diagnosis. Each felt the lack of having somewhere to go to learn what they needed to know to get proper treatment for their loved one and social and emotional support for themselves and their family members. They knew that they needed knowledge and support so they could help their loved one live with cancer, along with their family members and medical teams.

These four women, (left to right) Judy Wolfe, Phyllis Greene, Paula Berke and (front) Estelle Cooper became the dynamic co-founders of Gilda's Club Desert Cities. As professional women who had worked in social services and education, they knew the value of a support community where others understood, and they and their family members would not feel alone in their fears, confusion about treatment, and the daily challenges that occur when living with cancer.