MIDDLETON, Wis. (WMTV) – A newly launched program at Gilda’s Club in Middleton is helping children across Wisconsin better understand cancer through interactive education and emotional support.
The Family Night program is part of a free, 10-week rotating curriculum offered year-round to any child in the state affected by cancer — regardless of diagnosis, stage, or connection to the disease.
Elizabeth Kunz, Program Manager at Gilda’s Club and a licensed mental health professional, oversees the program, which is designed specifically for kids and families. She says it helps children process the difficult emotions that come with a cancer diagnosis — whether it’s their own or someone close to them.
“And one of the biggest questions is how can we get rid of the cancer?” Kunz said. “Because they might have the cancer diagnosis, a family or friends, someone has the cancer. How do we make it go away?”
That’s where creativity comes in. To help answer those questions in a child-friendly way, the program uses hands-on, play-based activities.
“With their red blood cells, we use Twizzlers, and we talk about how that helps give our body energy. It carries oxygen,” she said. “The white blood cells, the marshmallows. They fight germs and keep us healthy. The gum we have as the platelets, which stop the bleeding and keep the blood in our bodies.”
From doll treatments to organ bingo to syringe painting, licensed mental health professionals and child life specialists use age-appropriate tools to make medical concepts less intimidating.
“Our Teddy Bear clinic is another favorite where the kids can get a teddy bear or bring their stuffy and check their vital signs, listen to their hearts, give them chemo,” Kunz said. “So a lot of great fun opportunities for the kids to get involved.”
These playful approaches help normalize medical experiences and reduce fear. Along the way, the program also addresses common misconceptions many kids have about cancer.
“Some kids think it’s contagious,” Kunz says. “And also it’s not your fault. That’s another really big one — ‘I must have done something to cause this.’ So dispelling those myths is really important.”
According to Kunz, feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. She says many have shared that their children are opening up more and showing less fear.
“My kids are talking more. My kids are less afraid. And at the end of the night, you can really tell because the kids are just laughing and smiling and running around, knowing that other kids are impacted by cancer too, they’re not alone. And then they say I can’t wait to come back until next week.”
The free program is designed for kids ages 5 to 11, with supervised play available for those under 4. While the children are in session, parents and caregivers can attend their own support groups — all part of the wraparound care offered by Gilda’s Club.
Kunz says that to make the weekly gatherings more accessible, volunteer groups also cook and serve a healthy dinner for each session.
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