Gilda's Club Salutes Joel Siegel
Joel Siegel, along with Gene Wilder and Joanna Bull, founded Gilda's Club in 1993 and opened the first red door on West Houston Street in NYC. Over the past twelve years, Joel has been a staunch supporter of the Gilda's Club mission, generously contributing his time, talent, spirit and humor to many of our clubhouses. Throughout his illness, Joel Siegel epitomized the "Gilda Legacy" which is the foundation of the organization - practicing every day how to LIVE with cancer, whatever the outcome. The Board of Directors, Staff, 30 affiliate organizations and 45,000 members of Gilda's Club Worldwide extend our love, respect and sincere condolences to his family and our heartfelt thanks to a wonderful friend. But no one can expound on what Gilda's club meant to Joel, better than he himself.
Joel Siegel Talks About Gilda's Club
As Gilda Radner once said, ‘It's not what happens in life but how you handle it." Joel Siegel lived his life to the fullest and always reached out to help others. He will not be forgotten.
In the Gilda's Club Worldwide 2005 Annual Report, Joel Siegel wrote about why he helped found Gilda's Club and why he continued to be so committed to its mission. We can think of no better tribute to him now than reprinting his story, in his own words.
One night at a Broadway opening, it must have been 25 years ago, my wife, Jane, came back after intermission and very proudly announced, "Gilda Radner knows who I am!"
"We were waiting in line for the ladies' room and started to talk," Jane went on. "I introduced myself and she said, ‘Oh, everybody knows Joel Siegel's wife always wears a headband.'"
And then Jane told her why she wore a headband.
She was battling brain cancer. She'd had surgery and radiation and the radiation left her bald. She had a great wig. I was able to find the best hair person on Broadway to make Jane's wigs—good enough for Elizabeth Taylor and half a dozen other stars whose names you'd be shocked to learn. But Jane didn't feel comfortable unless she wore a headband to hide the wig line.
Jane and Gilda became friendly and would seek each other out on line at the ladies' rooms at other Broadway openings. For a while, anyway. We knew we were fighting a losing a battle, though we never admitted it to each other.
At least not in words. Jane died in 1982. I think about her every day.
When Gilda died I wrote Gene Wilder a long letter, survivor to survivor, spouse to spouse, and we sought each other out.
I'd promised Jane I would find a place where she could be with other people who had cancer, just to be with them, to find out what might happen to her next, to help others understand what might happen to them. I made every call I could but that kind of place, back then, didn't exist.
Gene told me he'd made Gilda a similar promise. They had found that kind of place in California and he promised her he'd build that kind of place in New York. Together we sent for Joanna Bull, who had worked with Gilda as her therapist, and that is how Gilda's Club began.
"I'm a member of a great club," Gilda wrote in her autobiography, It's Always Something. "The problem is you have to have cancer to get in."
Since we started Gilda's Club, both Gene and I have become members. But so have thousands of others in 20 cities. I've visited Gilda's Clubs in Dallas, Chicago, Buffalo and Fort Lauderdale—and, of course, here in New York City (where I joined up).
I have met literally hundreds of people who are vibrant and alive who, I understand, without a Gilda's Club would be home, moping, sad, and depressed. In the ten years Gilda's Clubs have welcomed people living with cancer we have helped change the language of cancer.
Then we were "cancer victims." Now we are "cancer survivors."
I'm very proud to have been a part of this. But what I am most proud of is the part of every Gilda's Club that's set aside for kids called "Noogieland." Thanks to Toys "R" Us and other local sponsors, Noogielands are stocked with toys and games. Each time I've visited, they are stocked with kids, as well.
Because this terrible disease pays no attention to age or race or sex, one of the first things you notice is that the kids are all the colors of God's rainbow. But the kids are too busy playing and laughing to notice that. And one of the next things you notice is that some of the kids are bald. And the kids are too busy playing and laughing to notice that either.
Can you think of a better dividend on your investment than making a child laugh? I can't.
And Gilda's Clubs Remember Joel
Joel's impact on Gilda's Clubs everywhere was felt each time the board sat down to make a strategic decision on the organization's growth, and every time a member walked through one of our clubhouse red doors. Here are a few anecdotes from our clubhouses.
Joel Siegel, along with Gene Wilder and Joanna Bull, founded Gilda's Club in 1993 and opened the first red door on West Houston Street in NYC. Over the past twelve years, Joel has been a staunch supporter of the Gilda's Club mission, generously contributing his time, talent, spirit and humor to many of our clubhouses. Throughout his illness, Joel Siegel epitomized the "Gilda Legacy" which is the foundation of the organization - practicing every day how to LIVE with cancer, whatever the outcome. The Board of Directors, Staff, 30 affiliate organizations and 45,000 members of Gilda's Club Worldwide extend our love, respect and sincere condolences to his family and our heartfelt thanks to a wonderful friend. But no one can expound on what Gilda's club meant to Joel, better than he himself. Joel Siegel Talks About Gilda's Club
As Gilda Radner once said, ‘It's not what happens in life but how you handle it." Joel Siegel lived his life to the fullest and always reached out to help others. He will not be forgotten.In the Gilda's Club Worldwide 2005 Annual Report, Joel Siegel wrote about why he helped found Gilda's Club and why he continued to be so committed to its mission. We can think of no better tribute to him now than reprinting his story, in his own words.
One night at a Broadway opening, it must have been 25 years ago, my wife, Jane, came back after intermission and very proudly announced, "Gilda Radner knows who I am!"
"We were waiting in line for the ladies' room and started to talk," Jane went on. "I introduced myself and she said, ‘Oh, everybody knows Joel Siegel's wife always wears a headband.'"
And then Jane told her why she wore a headband.
She was battling brain cancer. She'd had surgery and radiation and the radiation left her bald. She had a great wig. I was able to find the best hair person on Broadway to make Jane's wigs—good enough for Elizabeth Taylor and half a dozen other stars whose names you'd be shocked to learn. But Jane didn't feel comfortable unless she wore a headband to hide the wig line.
Jane and Gilda became friendly and would seek each other out on line at the ladies' rooms at other Broadway openings. For a while, anyway. We knew we were fighting a losing a battle, though we never admitted it to each other.
At least not in words. Jane died in 1982. I think about her every day.
When Gilda died I wrote Gene Wilder a long letter, survivor to survivor, spouse to spouse, and we sought each other out.
I'd promised Jane I would find a place where she could be with other people who had cancer, just to be with them, to find out what might happen to her next, to help others understand what might happen to them. I made every call I could but that kind of place, back then, didn't exist.
Gene told me he'd made Gilda a similar promise. They had found that kind of place in California and he promised her he'd build that kind of place in New York. Together we sent for Joanna Bull, who had worked with Gilda as her therapist, and that is how Gilda's Club began.
"I'm a member of a great club," Gilda wrote in her autobiography, It's Always Something. "The problem is you have to have cancer to get in."
Since we started Gilda's Club, both Gene and I have become members. But so have thousands of others in 20 cities. I've visited Gilda's Clubs in Dallas, Chicago, Buffalo and Fort Lauderdale—and, of course, here in New York City (where I joined up).
I have met literally hundreds of people who are vibrant and alive who, I understand, without a Gilda's Club would be home, moping, sad, and depressed. In the ten years Gilda's Clubs have welcomed people living with cancer we have helped change the language of cancer.
Then we were "cancer victims." Now we are "cancer survivors."
I'm very proud to have been a part of this. But what I am most proud of is the part of every Gilda's Club that's set aside for kids called "Noogieland." Thanks to Toys "R" Us and other local sponsors, Noogielands are stocked with toys and games. Each time I've visited, they are stocked with kids, as well.
Because this terrible disease pays no attention to age or race or sex, one of the first things you notice is that the kids are all the colors of God's rainbow. But the kids are too busy playing and laughing to notice that. And one of the next things you notice is that some of the kids are bald. And the kids are too busy playing and laughing to notice that either.
Can you think of a better dividend on your investment than making a child laugh? I can't.
And Gilda's Clubs Remember Joel
Joel's impact on Gilda's Clubs everywhere was felt each time the board sat down to make a strategic decision on the organization's growth, and every time a member walked through one of our clubhouse red doors. Here are a few anecdotes from our clubhouses.
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Joel effortlessly personified the spirit of Gilda's Clubs, qualities of community and caring that cancer can sometimes, perversely, even enhance. Joel's "membership" in this elite club no one wants to belong to (as Gilda so humorously pointed out), was also characterized by consummate wit and style. Amazingly, he cared as much about other people as he did about himself: truly, deeply cared. Joel's willingness to drop everything to show up to support our mission, any time and anywhere, is legendary. As recently as the first of this year, debilitated by chemotherapy, Joel offered to help the instant he heard that some people in the Midwest were trying to raise money to develop a new clubhouse. I will remember his help with endless gratitude.
--Joanna Bull, Co-Founder, Gilda's Club Worldwide
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Just before our 12th Annual Gala in January 2007, Joel Siegel reached out to us, this time as an honorary member, to help him deal with his illness. He asked if he could attend one of our colorectal networking groups at the clubhouse. Joel, who had always been one of our strongest advocates and truly understood the benefits of being a Gilda's Club member, knew where he needed to go when he needed support -- to the clubhouse he had helped to found. After the meeting, he mentioned how beneficial it was for him and that he would attend the next colorectal networking group that was scheduled. Unfortunately, he did not survive his illness.
--Lily Safani, CEO, Gilda's Club New York City
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One steamy afternoon, Joel Siegel visited Gilda's Club North Texas in Dallas, chatting comfortably with club members, taking time to visit and reading excerpts of his book: Lessons for Dylan: From Father to Son. "He was an incredibly kind, wonderful man, who generously gave of his time and resources. He made sure that we knew that he would be more than happy to help with anything we might need at anytime."
--Valerie Gabriel-Swenson, President, VGS Marketing Group, and board member and publicist for Gilda's Club North Texas.
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"Our art room mural was created and dedicated to Joel Siegel in honor of him and in memory of his first wife, Jane Kessler. Unfortunately, he was not able to make our opening in June 2006 and never got a chance to see it in person. But we will remember him every time we look at it."
--Carol Lennon, Executive Director, Gilda's Club Western Pennsylvania.
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"Joel visited our Buffalo clubhouse several times. He spoke to the members about his book, Letters to Dylan, and shared his story. He was always wonderful and gave generously of his time. On one visit, he was quite sick and had to rest in our "It's Always Something Room." Even with that, he stayed until every person who wished to speak with him had an opportunity to do so. You wouldn't have known that he was ill, let alone how ill he was."
--Susan Lichtblau, Program Director, Gilda's Club Western New York.
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