Our History
The Cancer Support Community Atlanta is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing a variety of supportive services for cancer patients and their families in a home-like environment in the heart of Atlanta. We provide support groups, informative education programs, a variety of gentle stress reduction and exercise classes, nutrition programs and fun social activities. All classes are offered free of charge and are led by seasoned professionals committed to supporting individuals and families in our community facing cancer.
Since we first hung our shingle in the Atlanta area in 1997, thousands of lives have been changed through our programs. Thanks to a dedicated staff and team of volunteers, we now offer programs throughout the state of Georgia. We are proud of our affiliation with Northside Hospital Cancer Institute, who, in 2010, was chosen as a prestigious Community Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institute of Health.
In 2000, Northside Hospital chose Cancer Support Community Atlanta to be the provider of their psychosocial oncology services to provide a higher level of support for their patients. Since then, we have worked closely with Northside to ensure that their patients are receiving a full spectrum of support programs, while keeping our doors open to everyone affected by cancer, regardless of where they are treated.
We are a local affiliate of a worldwide organization. Our Headquarters is located in Washington, D.C.
History of our headquarters
In 1982, Harold and Harriet Benjamin transformed the way our culture faces cancer. Harriet, a cancer survivor herself, sought to create an organization that would provide social and emotional support to not only cancer patients, but also to families, friends, and caregivers. The Benjamins strongly encouraged psychosocial care because they believed in a strong correlation between emotional and physical well-being. Thus, the first walk-in community facility of its kind, The Wellness Community (TWC), was founded in Santa Monica, CA as an outlet for those suffering cancer to receive appropriate support. One of the biggest advocates of TWC was late comedian and “SNL” cast member Gilda Radner. When diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986, Radner sought support from TWC. She called for similar support-focused organizations to be available not only on the West coast, but everywhere. Unfortunately in 1989, Gilda passed away.
In honor of Gilda’s legacy, her husband Gene Wilder, and Joanna Bull, along with friends and family, founded Gilda’s Club in 1991. The first local Affiliate organization, Gilda’s Club New York City (GCNYC), opened its iconic Red Door in 1995. Since then, additional locations have opened worldwide, incorporating larger cities (Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, Toronto), smaller cities (Fort Lauderdale, Quad Cities, Hackensack, Rochester) and locations in between (Nashville, Grand Rapids, White Plains).
In 2007, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs, a groundbreaking report on the importance of addressing the social and emotional needs of individuals facing cancer, rather than just their physical needs—an idea The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club Worldwide had both been implementing for many years. This eventually sparked merger discussions between the two organizations, which aimed to increase operating efficiency and reduce overall costs in order to provide greater resources and influence. In 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club Worldwide merged, becoming a united organization under the name Cancer Support Community. As a result of this union, the Cancer Support Community is now one of the largest providers of cancer support worldwide, with Gilda’s Club and Cancer Support Community Affiliate locations across the country. With nearly double the footprint, CSC has increased its capacity to reach even more people touched by cancer.
Cancer Support Community has become one of the leading organizations in cancer support – opening various affiliate organizations throughout the country and the world. CSC has remained dedicated to its mission of providing emotional support and psychosocial care for individuals impacted by cancer, including their families and friends. The organization has developed the Cancer Support Helpline, the Cancer Experience Registry and greatly expanded the Frankly Speaking About Cancer educational materials and radio shows. Further, CSC established the Research & Training Institute and the Cancer Policy Institute, and piloted an inaugural hospital-integrated model. Through all of these developments, CSC has worked to further expand its services so that no one faces cancer alone.