Support Groups

Until the need for social distancing surrounding concerns of the spread of COVID-19 has passed, in-person support groups are  currently suspended.

GCQC is here to support you regardless of our ability to do so in person. GCQC members will have access to support groups in real-time using the private, HIPAA-compliant TeleMentalhealth platform, Zoom.

The following will be offered via Zoom:

• Grief Connections will continue to be the 1^st & 3^rd Tuesday from 6 – 8 pm
• Wellness Group will continue to have the option to meet on Tuesdays from 1 – 3 pm and/or Wednesdays from 6 – 8 pm
  • Breast Cancer Support Group members should attend a Wellness Group
  • Gynecological Support Group members should attend a Wellness Group
• Family Group will need to change since we don’t have the ability to offer two groups concurrently online. Your options will be:
  • Wednesdays from 1 – 3 pm
  • Thursdays from 6 – 8 pm

If you are interested in joining this group virtually, please contact Program Director Kelly H at 563-484-0111 to learn more.

Do to ethics involved in support groups, you MUST be physically in Iowa or Illinois during these support groups. Ask Kelly H for more information on this.

When you receive the Zoom links for your support group, you will be asked to register via Zoom to attend. By registering, you’ll have the option to save the online support group dates to your personal electronic calendars during the registration process. Your confirmation email will also receive a password for the meeting.

Healthy Lifestyle Activities

Until the need for social distancing surrounding concerns of the spread of COVID-19 has passed, the following Healthy Lifestyle Activities are currently suspended: Clutter Club, Essential Oils Workshops, and Chair Yoga.

The following will be offered via Zoom:

Group Meditation, Thursdays at 11:30 am

• Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0rd-6upz8tKTDFwbweGtgmcbjO67RmeA

Yoga 4 Cancer, Mondays & Thursdays

• Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vpUkfuytrzgsAr7QdkB6pRpcoL5N-D-3yw

Creative Sessions: Junk Mail Flowers, Monday, April 6, 10 – 10:30 am

• Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqdeyrqjMssrYTNRoOTfStpA7rAO1hLQ
  This presentation will also be broadcast via Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/GildasClubQC

By registering, you’ll have the option to save the online support group dates to your personal electronic calendars during the registration process. Your confirmation email will also receive a password for the meeting.

Educational Programs

Until the need for social distancing surrounding concerns of the spread of COVID-19 has passed, we will be providing Educational Programs via Zoom Webinar and Facebook Live.

The following will be offered via Zoom:

 Pain Management Workshop, Tuesday, April 7, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

• Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vpMtd-GqrD0poVYIcC3LEuHVk-RrDRPUdQ
  This presentation will also be broadcast via Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/GildasClubQC

Ergonomics for Return to Work and Caregiving, Tuesday, April 7, 6 – 6:40 pm

• Join at https://huntington.zoom.us/j/9953938659

By registering, you’ll have the option to save the online support group dates to your personal electronic calendars during the registration process. Your confirmation email will also receive a password for the meeting.

Social Events

Until the need for social distancing surrounding concerns of the spread of COVID-19 has passed, Breakfast Club is currently suspended.

The following will be offered via Zoom:

Coffee Club, Wednesdays, 10 – 11 am 

• Register to attend: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/upQrcumqrDgvqFynqAU63ofrXTN4G66FnA

By registering, you’ll have the option to save the online support group dates to your personal electronic calendars during the registration process. Your confirmation email will also receive a password for the meeting.

Children/Teen

Until the need for social distancing surrounding concerns of the spread of COVID-19 has passed, all Children/Teen activities are currently suspended.

This tentatively includes the Easter Egg Hunt & Luncheon on Saturday, April 4, 2020.

New to Zoom? Here are some tips to get your started.

By Computer

1. Test Your Computer Connection
   Visit www.zoom.us/test to test your computer connection and sound before the first session.
2. Register for your Meeting
   For Support Groups, contact Program Director Kelly Hendershot at kelly@gildasclubqc.org to get started.
   For Healthy Lifestyle Activities, including yoga and meditation, visit the Health Lifestyle tab on this page or www.gildasclubqc.org/calendar for the registration link.
   For Educational Workshop, visit the Educational Programs tab on this page or www.gildasclubqc.org/calendar for the registration link.
   When you register for the meeting, you will have the option to select multiple dates and save the invite to your calendar.
3. Save your Registration Email
   You should receive a confirmation email from no-reply@zoom.us. Hold on to this email, especially if you did not add the meeting details to your personal calendar in the step above.
4. Joining a Meeting
   Click on the meeting link either from your saved registration email or from your calendar invite.
   A box may pop up asking to either “Open Zoom Meetings” or to download the Zoom program. Answer “open” or “download”. If you have to download the program, click the .exe box in the bottom left of your screen, click “run”.
5. Decide Your Sound Connection
   If you want to use the computer’s microphone, click “Join with Computer” audio. If you want to call on the phone, click the “Phone Call” to access the phone dial-in information.
   1. Using the Phone for Sound
      If you are going to call in rather than using the computer mic, dial the numbers on your screen, enter the password and your participant ID # (all of this info is on the call-in pop up box).
   2. Muting/Unmuting to Talk
      Remember, if you’ve called on the phone, you can only mute/unmute yourself on via your telephone.
6. Use the Controls to Interact
   At the bottom of your screen, click the mute/unmute button to talk (ONLY if you’re using the computer mic), click the stop/start video button to show on screen, click the chat button to raise
   your hand or type in a comment/question.
   You will be required to have your video turned on for support groups only.
7. When Finished, Leave Meeting
   When you are finished attending, click the words “Leave Meeting”. A box will appear confirming your choice.

For assistance, please contact Kelly H at kelly@gildasclubqc.org or 563-484-0111.

By Tablet/Smartphone

1. Pick Your Device
   Will you be joining by tablet (i.e. iPad) or smartphone?
2. Download the “Zoom” App
   Go to your App Store or Google Play Store and search “Zoom”. Choose “Zoom Cloud Meetings” and install.
   Double check your phone’s settings to make sure your mic is enabled for Zoom.
3. Register for your Meeting
   For Support Groups, contact Program Director Kelly Hendershot at kelly@gildasclubqc.org to get started.
   For Healthy Lifestyle Activities, including yoga and meditation, visit the Health Lifestyle tab on this page or www.gildasclubqc.org/calendar for the registration link.
   For Educational Workshop, visit the Educational Programs tab on this page or www.gildasclubqc.org/calendar for the registration link.
   When you register for the meeting, you will have the option to select multiple dates and save the invite to your calendar.
4. Save your Registration Email
   You should receive a confirmation email from no-reply@zoom.us. Hold on to this email, especially if you did not add the meeting details to your personal calendar in the step above.
5. Joining a Meeting
   Click on the meeting link either from your saved registration email or from your calendar invite.
6. Enter Your Name
   If the name bar has information about your device (i.e. Samsung 10e), click on it and type your name instead.
7. Decide about Appearing on Video
   Do you want to use your device camera and show up on screen? Slide the radio button to choose.
   Please note: Enabling video is required for support groups only.
8. Click the Blue “Join Meeting”
   Once you’ve typed in the Meeting Number and decided on video and sound, click the “Join” button. No password is required.
9. Use the Controls to Interact
   At the bottom of your screen, (tap your screen if you don’t see anything), tap the mute/unmute button to talk, tap the stop/start video button to show on screen.
10. When Finished, Leave Meeting
    When you are finished attending, tap the words “Leave Meeting”. A box will appear confirming your choice.

For assistance, please contact Kelly H at kelly@gildasclubqc.org or 563-484-0111.

Clinton Program

Until the need for social distancing surrounding concerns of the spread of COVID-19 has passed, all activities in Clinton are currently suspended.

Anyone currently participating in the Wellness Group that meets on the 2nd Tuesday from 6:30 – 7:30 pm and 2nd Thursday from 10 – 11:30 am should view the Support Groups section above for details on access to support groups in real-time using the private, HIPAA-compliant TeleMentalhealth platform, Zoom.

Muscatine Program

Until the need for social distancing surrounding concerns of the spread of COVID-19 has passed, all activities in Muscatine are currently suspended.

This includes workshops that occur on the 3rd Thursday of the month, as well as bi-monthly chair yoga.

The Support Groups section above contains details on access to support groups that will be available in real-time using the private, HIPAA-compliant TeleMentalhealth platform, Zoom.

MyLifeLine is a digital site which enables people to create a privacy-protected personal website to gather your community of friends and family in one online place to keep them informed of your situation. There are resources, calendars and other cancer-specific materials. Go to www.gcqc.mylifeline.org to get started.

Our Helpline is now open every day for the foreseeable future so that we can support patients and families 7 days a week with ready access to trained, qualified, licensed professionals. Call 888-793-9355 Monday-Friday 8am-8pm CT, Saturday & Sunday 8am-4pm CT.

3/23/2020 Notice to Members

Notice Sent to Members 3/16/2020

Dear GCQC Members and partners,

Gilda’s Club Quad Cities (GCQC) is sensitive to the current situation surrounding the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and has been monitoring CDC and Iowa Department of Public Health sites. While we have been implementing rigorous sanitization of our space and appropriate social distancing, it has become apparent that we must do more to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers and members.

As such, GCQC has made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend all onsite and off-site program offerings beginning today, Monday, March 16 at noon. We will be providing select free of charge support services for cancer patients and their families in the virtual space beginning Tuesday, March 17th. This is an ever-changing situation and we will be assessing week-to-week as to when we will be resuming our onsite and offsite services.

GCQC is here to support you regardless of our ability to do so in person. GCQC members will have access to support groups in real-time using the private, HIPAA-compliant TeleMentalhealth platform, Zoom. Educational workshops will be live-streamed or posted on our website and select healthy lifestyle classes will be available. We will continue to welcome new members via telephone and virtual orientations. Please continue to check our website at www.gildasclubqc.org and tune in to our educational postings on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/GildasClubQC.

GCQC is committed to taking a pro-active and informed stance, as is modeled in our free support program for cancer patients and families. All of us recognize the amount of anxiety this change is causing, and we want to do all we can to support you in this time of uncertainty. Again, given the quickly evolving nature of this health threat, we will continue to monitor daily and make additional changes as needed. We will update you as these changes occur.

Our goal is, of course, to return to regular programming at 1234 E River Drive and other locations as soon as it is safe to do so. We thank you for your patience and support as we navigate this unique situation with the urgency our families living with cancer deserve.

Be well,

Joy McMeekan, Executive Director

Kelly Hendershot, Program Director