{"id":1368,"date":"2016-09-01T18:16:50","date_gmt":"2016-09-01T23:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=1368"},"modified":"2018-04-26T13:52:33","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T18:52:33","slug":"gene-wilder-leaves-legacy-cancer-support-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/gene-wilder-leaves-legacy-cancer-support-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Gene Wilder leaves legacy in Cancer Support Community"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gene Wilder, who passed away at the age of 83 this week, leaves behind a legacy of laughter and joy. But he also leaves behind a lesser known legacy \u2013 his contributions to cancer support.<\/p>\n

Wilder met and fell in love with fellow comedian Gilda Radner while filming the 1982 film \u201cHanky Panky,\u201d and the pair married in 1984. Their marriage was tragically cut short when Radner was diagnosed with and ultimately succumbed to ovarian cancer in 1989.<\/p>\n

The cancer diagnosis and treatment process for Radner was grueling, and after her death Wilder vowed to do everything he could to help other cancer patients through the process. In 1991, he helped start Gilda\u2019s Club, a place where cancer patients could meet and get support from one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cGene had promised Gilda that no one should face cancer alone, a vow that moved Gilda\u2019s Club forward as he served as its celebrity spokesperson,\u201d Joanna Bull, founder of Gilda\u2019s Club Worldwide, said in a news release.<\/p>\n

The club grew, and in 2009 joined forces with The Wellness Community to create the Cancer Support Community, which offers support in more than 46 affiliates around the world – including at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center<\/a> in Peoria. Wilder was an honorary board member with the Cancer Support Community until his death.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the `70s and `80s I fell in love with Wilder\u2019s comedic genius,\u201d said Kathi Copelen, coordinator at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Cancer Clinics. \u201cHis work in \u2018Blazing Saddles,\u2019 \u2018Young Frankenstein,\u2019 \u2018Silver Streak\u2019 and \u2018Willy Wonka\u2019 are always referenced at our family get-togethers! But the movies he made with Gilda Radner were the ones that years later would change the face of cancer support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of him, we\u2019re able to offer social and emotional support programs for people with cancer and their families through the Cancer Support Community<\/a>,\u201d said Copelen.<\/p>\n

How to help<\/h2>\n

Gene Wilder vowed to improve the cancer patient experience \u2013 and that\u2019s what the OSF Saint Francis Cancer Clinics is\u00a0devoted to as well.<\/p>\n

In addition to the array of support programs in place, the Cancer Clinics is working with the Cancer Support Community to bring national attention to the struggles of cancer patients through Vice President Joe Biden\u2019s Cancer Moonshot<\/a>\u00a0Task Force.<\/p>\n

If cancer has touched you or a loved one, you can help. We\u2019re hosting a series of meetings to gather input from our community to pass along to the Task Force. For more information about upcoming meetings, please call us at (309) 363-6429.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gene Wilder, who passed away at the age of 83 this week, leaves behind a legacy of laughter and joy. But he also leaves behind a lesser known legacy \u2013 his contributions to cancer support. Wilder met and fell in love with fellow comedian Gilda Radner while filming the 1982 film \u201cHanky Panky,\u201d and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":1382,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[259,372],"coauthors":[681],"class_list":["post-1368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cancer","tag-cancer","tag-osf-saint-francis"],"yoast_head":"\nGene Wilder leaves legacy in Cancer Support Community<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gene Wilder, who passed away at the age of 83 this week, leaves behind a legacy of laughter and joy. 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