About The Wellness Community
Founded in 1982, The Wellness Community is an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people with cancer and their loved ones. Through participation in professionally-led support groups, educational workshops, nutrition and exercise programs, and stress-reduction classes, people affected by cancer learn vital skills that enable them to regain control, reduce isolation and restore hope regardless of the stage of their disease. The Wellness Community provides support, education and hope for people with cancer at over 100 locations worldwide including 24 U.S. based and 2 international centers with 73 satellite and offsite programs and online at The Virtual Wellness Community.
The Wellness Community was founded by Dr. Harold Benjamin in Santa Monica, California in 1982. As a result of experience with his wife's breast cancer and through subsequent years of study on the psychological and social impact of cancer, Dr. Benjamin formulated the Patient Active Concept. This revolutionary idea would be recognized years later at Walt Disney World EPCOT Metropolitan Life exhibit as one of the most significant developments in the evolution of modern health care.
In addition to the Patient Active Concept, the other significant cornerstone of our program is that all services are provided free of charge in a home-like, community setting. 'Community' is perhaps the most important aspect of The Wellness Community model of care that differentiates the program from any other. Today, thousands of people with cancer and their loved ones unite together through our programs. People come at diagnosis, during or at the end of treatment, at recurrence or several years out of treatment. They all come to learn they are not alone in their fight--whether for physical, emotional or spiritual recovery. Together, they regain a sense of control over their lives and ultimately discover that hope is a valuable tool irrespective of the stage of disease.
From Dr. Benjamin's first program in a little yellow house in Santa Monica, The Wellness Community has grown to twenty-four (24) facilities throughout the country with three (3) additional facilities currently in development. In addition, The Wellness Community has two facilities abroad in Tel Aviv, Israel and Tokyo, Japan, and The Virtual Wellness Community on the Internet.
A significant factor in expansion of facilities in the early 1990's can be directly attributed to Gilda Radner, a participant at TWC until her death from ovarian cancer in 1989. In her book, It's Always Something, she shared extensively about her experience at The Wellness Community. As countless patients have read her book, many have gone on to help bring a facility to their area.
