The Wellness Community
The Wellness Community (TWC) was an international, non-profit organization that provided support and education to people with cancer and their caregivers.[1][2] In 2009, the organization merged with Gilda's Club, forming the Cancer Support Community.
History
[edit]The Wellness Community was founded in Santa Monica in 1982 by Harold Benjamin,[3] his wife Harriet Benjamin[4] and Shannon McGowan.[5] The organization provided professionally led support groups, educational workships, and other programs.[6] In addition to providing support groups, education and other programs, TWC conducted research to quantify and document the benefits of psychosocial support for people with cancer.[7] Research was conducted in collaboration with Catholic University, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Rutgers University, Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, San Francisco.
Cancer Support Community merger
[edit]In 2009, it merged with Gilda's Club to form the Cancer Support Community.[8] The merger was reportedly intended to increase the operational efficiency of both organizations, each with 25 affiliates, and to reduce operational costs.[9]
References
[edit]- ↑ Ely, Elissa (November 11, 2014). "The Remembrance Project: Dr. Harriet Berman". WBUR Boston. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ↑ Sutherland, C. E.; Goldstein, M. S. (1992). "Joining a healing community for cancer: who and why?". Social Science & Medicine. 35 (3): 323–333. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(92)90029-P. PMID 1519085.
- ↑ "Harold Benjamin, 80, Founder of Wellness Community, Dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. 25 December 2004 – via NYTimes.com.
- ↑ "Wellness Community co-founder Harriet Benjamin dies at 85 - The Argonaut Newsweekly". argonautnews.com.
- ↑ Martin, Douglas (2004-12-25). "Harold Benjamin, 80, Founder of Wellness Community, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Get Connected: The Importance of Psychosocial Care in Cancer Recovery". PBS. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. 2008. doi:10.17226/11993.
- ↑ Hebbel, Sean M. (2017). "Community View Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer: The Cancer Support Community Model". Delaware Journal of Public Health. 3 (3): 96–98. doi:10.32481/djph.2017.06.010. PMC 8396629.
- ↑ "Two National Cancer Support Organizations Save Millions by Merging – The Lodestar Foundation". Retrieved 2026-06-16.