Kosair Charities awards $1 million grant to Gilda's Club Kentuckiana

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A $1 million grant is hoping to make a large, positive impact for local families battling cancer.

Kosair Charities gifted Gilda's Club Kentuckiana with the grant this week, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Kosair Charities President Barry Dunn said the funds are intended to be used for children's programming and facilities. Gilda's Club offers about 180 free programs every month. Many of those programs are offered both in person and with virtual options.

Gilda's Club opened its doors in Louisville 15 years ago as a cancer support community for the whole family.

"Whether it's the child, him or herself, who is diagnosed with cancer or a child who has a young parent with cancer, or the sibling of a child with cancer, the whole family experiences the symptoms we treat: fear, isolation, anxiety, helplessness and sometimes hopelessness," said Gilda's Club Kentuckiana President and CEO Karen Morrison.

Kristen Jordan, who is battling a Stage 4 lymphoma cancer diagnosis, said Gilda's Club has been "almost like an extended family" for her and 7-year-old son, Julian Fotter.

"It's really just a community that wraps you up in love," said Jordan. "Especially as a single parent, there are services for Julian, there are services for me, and it's a place where we can live life to the fullest without having to focus and think about cancer all the time."

Kosair Charities gives Gilda's Club $1 million grant — Kosair Charities President Barry Dunn presented a $1 million check to Gilda's Club Kentuckiana on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. The funds are intended to be used for children's programming and facilities. (WDRB photo)

Jordan said she's thankful to see organizations like Kosair Charities supporting the work of Gilda's Club.

"It makes me feel great that other people in the community recognize what they do and what they provide," she said.

This $1 million grant was expected to be paid in annual installments beginning next month, but Kosair Charities said after looking at the work Gilda's Club is doing, it decided to go ahead and write a check for the full amount all at once.

"We know we made a three-year commitment to Gilda's Club to pay one million dollars over three years, but after we've discussed everything that you're doing at Gilda's Club and all the great work that you do, we couldn't wait another day," Dunn said, as he handed the check to Morrison.

With this grant, Kosair Charities has now donated more than $4 million to Gilda's Club since 2006.

To learn more about Kosair Charities, click here.

To learn more about Gilda's Club, click here.