GILDA’S CLUB LAUNCHES “IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING” TEEN ESSAY CONTEST TO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR TEENS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH CANCER

Gilda’s Club New York City, a cancer support community named for the late comedian Gilda Radner, launches its inaugural Teen Essay Contest

NEW YORK – ( September 28, 2009) – Are you a high school student who has been impacted by cancer?  Gilda’s Club New York City is launching its inaugural “It’s Always Something” Teen Essay Contest to provide high school students with a forum for sharing their stories about living with cancer.   Teens may submit an essay about the experience of their own cancer diagnosis, a family member or friend living with cancer, or the loss of a loved one to cancer.  Celebrity Judges include Alan Zweibel – Emmy-winning writer and close friend of Gilda Radner, Matthew Zachary – Founder of I’m Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation, William Sherman – Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for New York Daily News, and Tonya Hurley – author of the NY Times best-selling “ghostgirl” novels. 

More than 70% of teens have been impacted by a cancer diagnosis yet teens are often an overlooked audience, especially regarding cancer prevention and dealing with the social and emotional needs brought about by cancer.  Nationwide, 25% of families with a cancer diagnosis have children under the age of 18.  “Our primary objective is to provide a forum for teens, grades 9-12, to share their experiences with cancer and more importantly, raise awareness of the issues teens face when they are living with cancer.  By partnering with local schools and community organizations, we are hoping that our inaugural ‘It’s Always Something’ Teen Essay Contest will open the door for teens to express themselves and provide an opportunity for our community to hear what they have to say about life with cancer” says Lily Safani, CEO of Gilda’s Club New York City. 

Essays must be postmarked by Friday, October 23, 2009. The contest is open to all high school students who are legal residents of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Subject to official rules available at: www.gildasclubnyc.org. Or write: Gilda’s Club New York City, c/o "It’s Always Something" Teen Essay Contest, 195 W. Houston St., New York, N.Y. 10014.  The essay winner will receive a $250 Apple gift card.  A ceremony for all participants will be held at Gilda’s Club New York City on January 14, 2010.

About Gilda’s Club New York City
Gilda’s Club New York City creates welcoming communities of free support for everyone living with cancer – men, women, teens and children – along with their families and friends.  Our innovative program is an essential complement to medical care, providing networking and support groups, workshops, lectures and social activities, all free of charge.

1. No working past 9 AM, with the exception of nights or full days when I am "off duty."  "Off duty" = not caregiving.  :-)
2. No new drafting.  The aim for October is to make my book smaller, not bigger.  I don't have a word count goal, in other words.
3. But I am allowed to make notes and hand write scenes.  I know some things are missing in the book, and will need to add a scene here or change bits there.  The idea is, if I hand write scenes, I'm not going to be looking at the word count, not writing just to be writing, and be getting the bare bones down.  Which is a skill I need to develop, since I overwrite so darn much.
4. October is about making this thing tight.  Well-paced.  To pack punches like a drunken Brooklyn pre-Prohibiition gangster.  Seanny on a bad day, even.  SUZANNE COLLINS WHO?!?
5. Unless I get the whole darn thing edited to my satisfaction (unlikely), there will be NO COMPUTER WORK INVOLVED.  This is all pen and paper, chapter-for-chapter, page-for-page work.  The computer is not my friend in October.
6. One page edited per day is good enough.  Rushing this will not make me a better writer.  Rushing this will not make my manuscript sing.