The oncology program at Mercy Health — Lourdes Hospital has partnered with Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana (GCK), a non-profit social and emotional support community for men, women, teens, and children living with cancer. Through this partnership, cancer patients from Mercy Health—Lourdes Hospital will have access to the more than 100 free monthly programs offered by Gilda’s Club.
“We are excited to expand the services offered to our patients through this partnership,” said John Montville, the hospital’s executive director of its oncology service line. “Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana is a very active group so we’re proud to be able to bring all the benefits they offer to those in our region.”
GCK provides support throughout the cancer journey—from diagnosis, survivorship, bereavement, including support for caregivers, and family and friends. Prior to the pandemic, programming for Gilda’s Club was offered in-person at the non-profit’s headquarters in Louisville, but all programs have been offered online since March of 2020 to help protect the medically-fragile cancer community.
An example of GCK’s more than 100 free monthly programs available through gck.org are:
- Support groups
- Yoga classes for all levels
- Meditation Reset and Reiki Energy
- “Frankly Speaking About Cancer” – education series with medical professionals
- Cooking classes
- Intro to Spanish
- “Flying Solo” – support for individuals with an active cancer diagnosis
- “Living through Loss” – bereaved support groups for youth, men, women, spouses and parents
- Crafting, virtual holiday parties and more
“We are honored to be partnering with Mercy Health in Paducah and expanding vital social and emotional support to families living with cancer,” said Karen Morrison, GCK CEO/President.
All of GCK’s programs have always been provided at no cost, and the transition to virtual programming has been so tremendously popular and successful, that Gilda’s Club will continue to provide online support indefinitely. “We are currently reaching thousands of people all over the world—from Louisville and Paducah to North Carolina and as far away as Belgium,” Morrison said. “It does not matter where a person or a family lives!”