Who was Gilda Radner?

Gilda on the cover of LIFE Magazine, March 1988
Source

One of the Cancer Support Community (formerly, the Wellness Community) Benjamin Center's very first participants was legendary comedienne, Gilda Radner. Gilda is best known for her role on the popular NBC late-night comedy show, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Widely-acclaimed as one of the most prominent comic geniuses of the 20th century, Gilda was well-loved, within Hollywood and beyond. In fact, fellow actor and comedian Mike Myers once exclaimed that he had "fallen in love" with Gilda after playing her son in a commercial and that he considered her the reason he wanted to be on SNL (source).  

Remembering Gilda

In 1986, when Gilda was around 40 years old, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after experiencing severe fatigue and pain in her upper legs. Gilda sought medical treatment, undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. It was during this time that Gilda first made contact with the Wellness Community and with Harold Benjamin, a prominent lawyer and the reason our Benjamin Center exists today! Gilda was drawn to the Community's emphasis on health and well-being and, after joining the Community, stated that she had "never been as healthy and as well as I am now." 

In 1988, Gilda went into remission. During this time, she wrote "It's Always Something" - a catchphrase of her SNL character Roseanne Roseannadanna (video below). In late 1988, however, Gilda learned that her cancer had returned and was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She passed away a few days later with her late husband, Gene Wilder, at her side. In lieu of flowers, the Radner family requested that donations be sent to the Wellness Community. On Saturday Night Live that week, Steve Martin (who was hosting) introduced, amidst tears, a video clip of a 1978 sketch in which he and Gilda had parodied a well-known dance routine from The Band Wagon (source). Afterwards, Steve Martin said it reminded him of "how great she was and of how young [he] looked. Gilda, we miss you."

Gilda's Legacy

Emma Stone, remembering Gilda at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special
Source

While Gilda has passed, her memory lives on. During Gilda's illness, her husband, Gene Wilder, therapist, Joanna Bull, and several of Gilda's close friends established similar communities called Gilda's Club to fulfill her dream of helping people and their families, just as she had been helped at the Wellness Community. In 2009, these organizations (Gilda's Club Worldwide and the Wellness Community) merged to become the Cancer Support Community.

Each year, we at the Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center celebrate Gilda's life through our Gilda Awards Gala. This year's Gala will be held on Thursday, May 14, at the Intercontinental Hotel. There, Sarah Silverman will be presenting the Gilda Award to Tig Notaro, a fellow comedienne and friend of the Cancer Support Community, who embodies Gilda's courageous spirit. 

Gilda Award Gala tickets can be purchased here

Please join us in celebrating Gilda's life at this year's Gilda Award Gala. We look forward to sharing a night of comedy, community and commitment to a vision - that no one should face cancer alone.


SNL Clips and Gilda Quotes

Nerd Prom - SNL








More clips can be found on Hulu and Yahoo video, here.

Quotes: 

"We call [the Wellness Community] the world's greatest club. The only problem is the price of admission: you can't get in without cancer."

"Cancer is about the most unfunny thing in the world. But it doesn't have to mean you die."

"While we have the gift of life, it seems to me the only tragedy is to allow part of us to die - whether it is our spirit, our creativity or our glorious uniqueness." 

Sources: 

Wikipedia - Gilda Radner
IMDB
TalkTalk
LIFE Magazine