Cancer Survivor’s Celebration: Savor the Sweet Life!

June 28th is a special date for Cancer Community Los Angeles—it is Gilda Radner’s birthday!

Gilda Radner, Emmy award-winning actress and original SNL cast member, visited Cancer Support Community Los Angeles (then called The Wellness Community) in 1986 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. At this time, there was still a great stigma towards cancer—referred to as “the Big C”. People were often isolated and private about their diagnosis.

After Gilda’s cancer journey was featured on the cover of Life Magazine in 1988, awareness for The Wellness Community and this type of social and emotional cancer support spread nationwide. In her memoir, Gilda wrote that she wished everyone impacted by cancer had access to this type of community.

Pictured: Gilda Radner (left) and Harold Benjamin, founder of CSCLA

We celebrate Gilda’s birthday each year alongside other Cancer Support Communities and Gilda’s Clubs nationwide with Community is Stronger than Cancer Day. The event also takes place during National Cancer Survivor’s Month, so we take the opportunity to celebrate survivorship, as well as honor the lives of loved ones.

This year, our party’s theme was Savor the Sweet Life! We gathered at La Cienega Park & Community Center from 1-3 pm and enjoyed free ice cream courtesy of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, free matcha samples and a guide on health benefits of matcha by Chiharu matcha company, family-friendly music by DJ HXRØ, and an inspiring story by CSCLA’ facilitator Kelly ‘s meditation class facilitator, Kelly Barron.

Activity stations included cookie decorating, keychain making, a photo booth, giant Jenga blocks and more.

Keep scrolling for photos from the afternoon!