Gilda’s Club of Southeastern Wisconsin, cancer support services, has announced it will close after it sustained irreparable damage to its building from Milwaukee area storm flooding. The organization will close on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
“Gilda’s Club is more than a building it is a community made of individuals who share their collective wisdom and experience to support one another in learning how to live with cancer,” said Trish Haudricourt, executive director. “While the program and building will be gone, the spirit of Gilda’s Club lives on in the members who met beyond the Red Door.”
The rain caused storm sewers to back up into the lower level of organization’s building at 4050 North Oakland Ave. According to a statement, the organization faced $75,000 in total damages and insurance covered $20,000 of it.
The organization is completely supported by contributions and has been unable to generate sufficient financial support to continue to operate the program in these challenging economic times, Haudricourt said.
“The Gilda’s Club participants will be encouraged to turn to each other in the coming days to retain their sense of community,” Haudricort said.
Members can still participate in Gilda’s Club social networking site, The Living Room, and staff has already begun to transition support and networking groups to Stillwaters Cancer Support Services in Waukesha.
Last year Gilda’s Club SEWI offered more than 500 programs for 2,546 individuals. It opened in 2004.
