Thank you for supporting the honorees! CSC Gilda Award Gala

Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center (CSC) is hosting its annual Gilda Award Gala, an evening of humor & inspiration on Thursday, May 14th, 2015 at the Intercontinental Los Angeles, Century City.  It will be an exciting night honoring celebrated innovators and artists. We hope you will spread the word and join us! This Thursday is the last day to purchase and submit your ads for the Gilda Award Gala tribute journal. A variety of ad sizes are available to be purchased all ranging in price. For $125 you can purchase an eighth page ad and put your business card in the tribute journal. Tribute Journal Ads:   (Tribute Journal Ads are 100% tax deductible) Eighth Page Ad* (2.375" w x 1.813" h) Quarter Page Ad (2.375" w x 3.875" h) Half Page Ad (5" w x 3.875" h) Full Page Ad (5" w x 8" h) Back Cover Ad (5" w x 8" h) Diamond Page Ad (5" w x 8" h) Inside Cover Ad (5" w x 8" h) Back Cover Ad (5" w x 8" h)       *Our most popular ad size EVENT DETAILS: Date: Thursday, May 14, 2015 Time: 6:30PM Cocktail Reception           7:30PM Dinner, Awards & Dancing  Location: Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City MAP    We invite you to support us by: Purchasing a ticket to the event- a portion is tax deductible Buying a 100% tax deductible ad in our Tribute Journal Making a direct contribution    EVENT SPONSORS:   With one out of two men and one out of three women facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, we are all affected by cancer. CSC offers invaluable emotional and psychological support... and our services are always 100% free. For more information on ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alejandra at 310-314-2565 or aoquendo@cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org Thank you for your continued support! SAVE THE DATE! June 7th, 2015 - National Cancer Survivors Day & Benjamin Birthday Bash Come mingle and have fun at our 80's themed dance party to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day and CSC's birthday, in June of 1982, born as the Wellness Community! A DJ, refreshments and cake will be provided all that's needed is YOU! Bring your friends and family to celebrate with us and a photo of you from the 80's to add to our event photo collage! Make it even more fun by dressing up in your favorite 80's attire! RSVP required: Please call 310-314-2555 Also, if you've been impacted by cancer, make your voice heard. Join the Cancer Experience Registry, as part of Cancer Experience Days, to help survivors everywhere and shape the future of cancer care! www.cancerexperienceregistry.org

Honoring One of Our Own: CSC’s Dr. Mitch Golant!

Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center (CSC) is hosting its annual Gilda Award Gala, an evening of humor & inspiration on Thursday, May 14th, 2015 at the Intercontinental Los Angeles, Century City.  It will be an exciting night honoring celebrated innovators and artists. We hope you will spread the word and join us! This week we are spotlighting the inaugural Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award recipient, Dr. Mitch Golant, and our evening emcee, Fritz Coleman. Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award CSC will honor Dr. Mitch Golant with the 2015 Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award. Dr. Golant is a psychosocial cancer research pioneer and we celebrate his work with Dr. Harold Benjamin (CSC's visionary founder) in elevating the role of psychosocial support worldwide. Dr. Golant has been with CSC for over 30 years where he supervised and trained CSC's professional clinical staff, has facilitated over 7,000 support groups for people with cancer, and trained over 450 professionals nationally and internationally in CSC's Patient Active Support Group model. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in the use of information technology in cancer education and support through the delivery of online support groups. Dr. Golant's work with the CSC Research & Training Institute in Philadelphia and with CSC headquarters in Washington D.C. created a shift in the culture towards addressing patients' and families' psychosocial needs. He is a CSC Professional Advisory Board member. Emcee Fritz Coleman, NBC4's Weathercaster is our evening emcee. A Southern California broadcasting icon, he is well known for his sense of humor and extensive knowledge of weather. Coleman joined NBC4 in February 1982 as the weekend weathercaster, and moved into weekdays in June 1984. He has been named "Best Weathercaster" in nearly every major paper in Southern California, including the Orange County Register, the San Bernardino Sun and four times in the Los Angeles Daily News. A long-time stand-up comic, Coleman has performed at The Improvisation, The IceHouse and other Southern California comedy clubs. He has used his humor in a number of series and specials that have aired on NBC4 over the years including "What a Week" (1990 - 1991), "It's Fritz" (1988-1990), "Fritz and Friends" (Special) and "The Perils of Parenting" (Special). He received four Los Angeles area Emmy Awards for his work on the NBC4 comedy specials and series. EVENT DETAILS: Date: Thursday, May 14, 2015 Time: 6:30PM Cocktail Reception           7:30PM Dinner, Awards & Dancing Location: Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City MAP    We invite you to support us by: Purchasing a ticket to the event- a portion is tax deductible Buying a 100% tax deductible ad in our Tribute Journal Making a direct contribution   Stay tuned for more details on our other outstanding honorees: Gilda Award Presenter: Gilda Award Tig Notaro Sarah Silverman Wellness Award YAS Fitness Centers Kimberly Fowler & Sherri Rosen EVENT SPONSORS: With one out of two men and one out of three women facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, we are all affected by cancer. CSC offers invaluable emotional and psychological support... and our services are always 100% free. For more information on ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alejandra at 310-314-2565 or aoquendo@cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org Thank you for your continued support!

CSC gets press in the Los Angeles Times

Newspaper: Los Angeles Times
Publish Date: April 12, 2015

Get Inspired by Gilda Radner at CSC's Gilda Award Gala

http://cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org/

Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center (CSC) is hosting its annual Gilda Award Gala, an evening of humor & inspiration on Thursday, May 14th, 2015 at the InterContinental Los Angeles, Century City.  It will be an exciting night honoring celebrated innovators and artists. We hope you will join us and spread the word to garner support for one of our most important annual benefits! In honor of the event, we would like to share a brief history of Gilda Radner and why this event means so much to our community. GILDA RADNER'S LEGACY One of CSC's first participants was legendary comedian Gilda Radner, an original cast member of the acclaimed television show, Saturday Night Live. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Radner was hesitant to seek support from others. But soon after visiting the Community, she became one of its biggest advocates. In her words, it provided "a community for people who have cancer to come and play in, to make their lives better, to have an opportunity to help themselves and to help other people." For more on Gilda, click here...     GILDA AWARD GALA The Gilda Award Gala is an evening benefit event for friends and supporters to come together and remember Gilda's courageous spirit, which continues to inspire cancer patients today. Tig Notaro, a Grammy-nominated comedian and breast cancer survivor who embodies Gilda Radner's courageous spirit, will accept the Gilda Award. PREMIUM HOSTED COCKTAIL HOUR   Join us for a premium hosted cocktail hour, generously sponsored by the InterContinental Hotel. Beginning at 6:30pm, complimentary hand-crafted cocktails will be served along with trays of decadent hors d'oeuvres. EVENT DETAILS: Date: Thursday, May 14, 2015 Time: 6:30PM Cocktail Reception           7:30PM Dinner, Awards & Entertainment   Location: Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City MAP    We invite you to support us by: Purchasing a ticket to the event- a portion is tax deductible Buying a 100% tax deductible ad in our Tribute Journal Making a direct contribution   Stay tuned for more details on our outstanding emcee & honorees:      We are delighted that Fritz Coleman, Weathercaster for NBC4 Southern California, will be our emcee! Gilda Award Presenter: Gilda Award Tig Notaro Sarah Silverman Wellness Award Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award YAS Fitness Centers Kimberly Fowler & Sherri Rosen   Dr. Mitch Golant EVENT SPONSORS: With one out of two men and one out of three women facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, we are all affected by cancer. CSC offers invaluable emotional and psychological support... and our services are always 100% free. For more information on ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alejandra at 310-314-2565 or aoquendo@cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org Thank you for your continued support!

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

JOIN Tig Notaro & Sarah Silverman at CSC Gilda Award Gala on May 14, 2015

Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center (CSC) is hosting its annual Gilda Award Gala, an evening of humor & inspiration on Thursday, May 14th, 2015 at the Intercontinental Los Angeles, Century City.  It will be an exciting night honoring celebrated innovators and artists. We hope you will join us! This week we are spotlighting the recipient of the Gilda Award, Tig Notaro, and presenter, Sarah Silverman. Gilda Award More info on Tig: Tignation.com Videos of TIG Tig Notaro is CSC's 2015 Gilda Award recipient. The Gilda Award is named after Gilda Radner who came to CSC (then known as The Wellness Community) in 1986 during her fight against ovarian cancer. With her courageous spirit, Tig, has inspired our community and beyond by sharing her cancer experience publicly with honesty, humor and heart. Tig is a comedian, writer, breast cancer survivor, and the subject and executive producer of a documentary entitled "Tig," which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.  On April 17th, 2015, Showtime will air "Knock Knock, It's Tig Notaro," in which she performs in the actual homes, barns and rooftops of selected fans across the country.  She is additionally set to star in her first HBO comedy special this fall, and her memoir "Tig" is due out in early 2016. Tig is included on Business Insider's list of "50 Women Who Are Changing the World" and Rolling Stone's list of "50 Funniest People Now." She was nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award  for her sophomore comedy album release, "LIVE". The album sold over 100,000 units in just 6 weeks and Louis CK is quoted as saying that it is one of the best stand-up performances he ever saw.  We are thrilled to have such an accomplished artist at our Gala! Presenter, Gilda Award (Photo credit: Robyn Von Swank) More info on Sarah: Sarahsilvermanonline.com Videos of SARAH Two time Emmy award winner, comedian and actress, Sarah Silverman, will be presenting the Gilda Award to Tig Notaro. Silverman was dubbed "the most outrageously funny woman alive," by Rolling Stone. With her comedic timing and stage presence it's no surprise that Sarah has been asked to host major award shows. In 2007 she hosted the MTV Movie Awards and she has also twice hosted the Independent Spirit Awards. Her resume includes everything from film and television, stand-up comedy, to iconic online videos, and she added author to this list when she released a book in 2010, the New York Times Bestseller, The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee. Silverman debuted an hour-long stand-up special, "We are Miracles," on HBO in 2013. She was awarded a 2014 Primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special category. She joined "Saturday Night Live" in 1993 as a writer and feature performer and has not stopped working since. EVENT DETAILS: Date: Thursday, May 14, 2015 Time: 6:30PM Cocktail Reception           7:30PM Dinner, Awards & Entertainment Location: Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City MAP    We invite you to support us by: Purchasing a ticket to the event, a portion is tax deductible Buying a 100% tax deductible ad in our Tribute Journal Making a direct contribution Stay tuned for more details on our two other outstanding honorees: Wellness Award Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award YAS Fitness Centers Kimberly Fowler & Sherri Rosen   Dr. Mitch Golant EMCEE:      We are delighted that Fritz Coleman, Weathercaster for NBC4 Southern California, will be our emcee! EVENT SPONSORS: With one out of two men and one out of three women facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, most, if not all, are affected by cancer. CSC offers invaluable emotional and psychological support... and our services are always 100% free. For more information on ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alejandra at 310-314-2565 or aoquendo@cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org Thank you for your continued support!

April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month

Source

This month, we'd like to shine a light on a rarer form of cancers that affect the head and neck region of the body. There are about 48,000 head and neck cancers diagnosed each year in the U.S. (~3% of all cancers in the United States) and these cancers may arise in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, salivary glands, throat, or larynx. The most common types include:

• Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancer. The larynx is commonly called the voice box. It is a tube-shaped organ in the neck that is important for breathing, talking, and swallowing. It is located at the top of the windpipe, or trachea. The hypopharynx is also called the gullet. It is the lower part of the throat that surrounds the larynx.
• Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Cancer. The nasal cavity is the space just behind the nose where air passes on the way to the throat. The paranasal sinuses are the air-filled areas that surround the nasal cavity.
• Nasopharyngeal Cancer. The nasopharynx is the air passageway at the upper part of the throat behind the nose.
• Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer. The oral cavity includes the mouth and tongue. The oropharynx includes the middle of the throat from the tonsils to the tip of the voice box.
• Salivary Gland Cancer. The salivary gland is tissue that produces saliva, which is the fluid that is released into the mouth to keep it moist and that contains enzymes that begin breaking down food.

(Source)

One challenge in treating head and neck cancers is that surgery involves the very structures or parts of our bodies that make us human (e.g., allow us to speak, talk, chew, make facial expressions). 

Source

There has been an alarming increase in the prevalence of head and neck cancers in males, particularly those cancers associated with the HPV virus (Scientific American). Additional resources and video links are included below to help you and your loved ones find out more about this complex illness. Help raise awareness for Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month by becoming an informed advocate and spreading the word. 

Resources: 

• Head and neck cancer surgeons at Memorial Sloan Kettering discuss risk factors, treatment options, reconstruction and quality of life after surgery (video)
• Smoking, Drinking Prolong Gastrostomy Tube Use in Head and Neck Cancer
• An Oncologists Advice on Avoiding Head and Neck Cancer