Associate Board member Travis shares his connection to Gilda’s Club, its impact on his life, and why he stays involved in Gilda’s Club communities wherever he goes.
For Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee Associate Board member Travis Welton, Gilda’s Club has been part of his family’s story for years — offering support, connection, and community through some of life’s most difficult moments.
“My name is Travis Welton, and I currently serve on the Associate Board of Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee,” he shared.
“Gilda’s Club has been a special place for me and my family for years. My mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 and died in 2019. During that time, Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana in Louisville became an important source of support for my parents and our family. The staff walked alongside us through some incredibly challenging times and continued to support our family in the weeks following my mom’s death.”
Years later, Travis once again found himself turning to Gilda’s Club during a difficult season of grief. “In 2022, I found myself really struggling to process the loss of my mom,” he said. “Not knowing where to turn for support, I reached out to Gilda’s Club Chicago because of my family’s experience with the Club in Kentucky. The team there welcomed me and connected me with a free grief support group. That group gave me both a community of people who understood what I was going through and a safe space to process my grief with professional support.”
That experience deepened his connection to the mission and reinforced the importance of accessible emotional support for anyone impacted by cancer. “Community and free support are what keep me connected to Gilda’s Club,” Travis shared. “Cancer and grief can both be incredibly isolating experiences, but Gilda’s Club offers people a place where people do not have to go through them alone.”
He continued, “I also deeply value that these services are offered at no cost. Support for physical and mental health can be financially out of reach for many people, especially during a cancer journey. Gilda’s Club makes sure that anyone affected by cancer can find support and connection, regardless of their ability to pay.”
For Travis, Gilda’s Club is also deeply connected to the memory of his mother and the lessons she taught him. “Gilda’s Club has been with me through every stage of my experience with cancer and grief, so for me it has become connected to my mom and my memory of her,” he said. “She was a devoted teacher, a selfless friend, and a loving mother who gave a lot of herself to the people around her. The care and generosity in the Gilda’s Club community remind me a lot of her.”
“Being involved here also gives me a way to live out what she taught me. She modeled what it looks like to show up for people and put others first, and I try to bring that with me when I serve. Gilda’s Club has given me a place to do that, and I’m grateful for it.”
Today, Travis channels that sense of purpose through his role on the Associate Board, helping connect young professionals to the mission and expanding awareness of the support Gilda’s Club provides across Middle Tennessee.
“Death and grief have a way of reframing how we see the world,” he shared. “When loss is processed in a healthy way, it can become a powerful catalyst for purpose and connection. David Kessler’s work on meaning as the sixth stage of grief has really shaped my thinking on this.”
“After losing my mom, I found myself with a deep sense of purpose in showing up for others. Serving on the Associate Board has given me a way to channel that.”
He also spoke about the powerful sense of connection he has found within the Associate Board. “The community I have found there is one of the most meaningful parts of the experience. Some of us have lost parents, some are cancer survivors, and others are showing up for a friend, but we are all united by a common experience with this disease. That kind of shared understanding is hard to find, and it has made me feel seen in a way that is difficult to articulate.”
“Human beings are not meant to go through something like cancer or grief alone, even though our culture tends to push us toward isolation.”
“The Associate Board has been a reminder of that for me, and I hope the work we do helps extend that same sense of community to more people in Middle Tennessee.”
When asked what he would want someone unfamiliar with Gilda’s Club to know, Travis reflected on the heart of the organization’s mission.
“I would remind them of Gilda Radner’s theory that cancer cells hate laughter and jokes and dancing,” he said. “That’s the beauty of Gilda’s Club to me. By recognizing that true cancer support requires more than medicine, Gilda’s Club has created a space where the whole person is cared for — mind, body, and spirit — whether they are a patient, a caregiver, or a family member.”
“I have experienced firsthand the empowerment that comes from this kind of support. It has changed the way I carry my grief and move through life.”
Through his journey, Travis’ story reflects what so many in the Gilda’s Club community come to know: that grief, while deeply personal, does not have to be carried alone. What began as a source of support for his family has become a lasting connection to a mission that continues to shape how he moves through the world and shows up for others.
Travis’ journey stands as a testament to the enduring impact of Gilda’s Club through life’s many seasons.
