An interactive online workshop where you’ll learn about an artist and their creative process, create your own art, and meet some awesome young adult cancer friends. Plus there will be opportunities to win prizes!

This event is for young adults (ages 18-45) that have been diagnosed with cancer before age 40—any stage, any cancer, anywhere in your cancer experience. 

Presented by Gilda’s Club Madison and Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee  


Get Notifications About Future Workshops

Sign up to receive information about future workshops:


Upcoming Workshops: April 2024

Registrants in the United States will receive supplies in the mail (acrylic paint, brushes, and canvas). Spots are limited and registration is required.

Theme: Stylized Acrylic Portraits

Register only register for one workshop date:

  • Monday, April 8th @ 4:30-6:30pm Pacific / 6:30-8:30pm Central / 7:30-9:30pm Eastern
  • Tuesday, April 9th @ 4:30-6:30pm Pacific / 6:30-8:30pm Central / 7:30-9:30pm Eastern (Taylor’s Version)

About Our Host: Chelsey Gomez

Chelsey Gomez is a 33 year old artist and two time cancer survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She is the owner of the cancer awareness brand “Ohyouresotough” which sells humorous nontraditional cancer products on Etsy. She has also developed an online community on Instagram, which aims to change the way society views cancer patients, especially young adult cancer patients. She resides in Florida with her husband Michael and her 8 year old daughter Luna.


Past Workshops & Featured Artists


Tough Fiends Art Club. Theme: Chromatic collage. Join us for fun and relaxing collage art! Time and Date: Weds, Nov 29, 2023 at 4:30 PST, 6:30 CST, 7:30 EST.  What is Art Club? An interactive online workshop where you'll learn about an artist and their creative process, create yuour own art, and meet some awesome young adult cancer friends!


Tough Friends Art Club September 2023 promotion graphic. All information on the graphic is also found on the registration page the graphic is linked to.

September 2023 Featured Artist: Ginny Shudlick

Ginny has always been a maker. Creating things with her hands allows for a creative outlet and the process of making is a form of meditation. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, Ginny incorporated art as a form of therapy throughout active treatment, always carrying a knitting project to appointments and infusions. Now in survivorship, Ginny continues to create art as part of her mental health practice. She enjoys watercolor, fiber arts, embroidery, and just about any other craft you can find on TikTok. Ginny loves to share her finished works but is really passionate about the creation process and how it helps her to navigate the cancer experience. You can find Ginny on Instagram at @shudlucky or @the_crafty_cancerino, and on TikTok at @the_crafty_cancerino.


Tough Friends Art Club June 2023 - click here to learn more and register


February 2023 Featured Artist: Sara Machnik

Sara was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in 2021 at the age of 31. She went through a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation during the pandemic, and she’s now on hormone therapy for the next ten years. Sara began writing poetry during her treatment to help her cope and found it to be a nice way to connect with other cancer rebels. Sara also co-founded the Bloom Club which is a safe space for young women who have experienced cancer to go on adventures together. She lives in Kingsville, Ontario near Lake Erie with her husband and cat Maui.

You can find Sara on instagram @saralou.writes.


November 2022 Featured Artist: Maggie Simenc

Maggie Simenc is a 32 year old stage 2B HER2+ breast cancer survivor. She loves all things that involve baking and has been baking seriously since 2012. She’s done dozens of weddings, birthdays and events since then, but has slowed things down to focus on learning new baking skills. Maggie currently lives in Cleveland and is the Senior Regulatory Specialist at a food company. She’s the one who reviews food labels for accuracy and makes sure they meet government regulations. When she isn’t working or baking, she’s hiking/backpacking with her fiancé, Brandon, and her doggo, Sawyer. She loves true crime, watching GBBO, and traveling. You can find Maggie on instagram @sweetlittlethingscle.



August 2022 Featured Artist: Meghan Lamb

Meghan Lamb is a 32-year-old survivor of Stage 2B Breast Cancer who loves all things illustration, puns, and Taylor Swift. She loves working on custom pet portraits and artwork that she knows will be especially meaningful to the recipient.

Meghan currently lives in Nashville and is the Director of Marketing for Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee. When she isn’t working, she enjoys watching endless amounts of European crime dramas, Harry Styles, and baking.

When asked to reflect on her other hobbies Meghan simply quoted David Rose (Schitt’s Creek) and said “I plan on popping a pill, crying a bit, and falling asleep early. So, just a regular weeknight.” Proving her sense of humor is just as top-notch as her art skills.

You can find Meghan on Instagram at @megoflamb.


Morgan Denman

June 2022 Featured Artist: Morgan Denman

Morgan Denman is a 28-year-old survivor of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, as well as a space-focused graphic designer and illustrator. She currently works full-time as a graphic designer for NASA (as a contractor). She also works as a part-time freelancer, doing design and illustration work for many companies within the aerospace industry.

Morgan creates her own space-inspired work in her free time, which she sells on her website and in her Etsy shop. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.