A welcome note from Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee Executive Director, Sandy Obodzinski:
When I moved to Nashville from the Midwest in 2005, I never imagined that my personal and professional worlds were preparing me for this moment with Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee. Like you, my life has been touched by cancer. After just three years of marriage, my husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia from which he died one year later. I never felt a greater sense of purpose than the year I had the gift of being his caregiver and medical advocate. In moving to Nashville, my desire was to create meaning out of unfathomable loss. Professionally, I embarked on a new career path fundraising for nonprofits I loved. Personally, I channeled my energy and emotions into creative endeavors – ballroom dancing, creative writing, hiking, and earning a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University.
During the past 12 years, I’ve learned firsthand about the healing power of community. And what an honor it is to be chosen as your new Executive Director at Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee! To each of you that I have met, thank you for your very warm welcome. I look forward to getting to know you, hearing your stories and learning about your hopes and ideas for Gilda’s Club. Thanks to an extraordinary team of staff, board members, donors, volunteers, members and the vision of our Founder, Sandy Towers, we are poised for a bright future of supporting those affected by cancer in Middle Tennessee.
I look forward to working with each of you to share the magic behind our red door, to ensure that no one faces cancer alone and to achieve our mission in creative new ways for our growing community.