The Gathering Place is the realization of a dream for Eileen that she began working on in 1998. She envisioned a place for people touched by cancer to find the services and resources, integrated with their medical care, focusing on enhancing quality of life with dignity and hope. Through a grassroots movement, Eileen followed her dream to create The Gathering Place, which opened in January of 2000 in a 6,500 square foot space in Beachwood. Since that opening in 2000, The Gathering Place now has three locations where programs and services are provided, including 2 in Beachwood and one in Westlake. The Gathering Place has served over 45,000 individuals.
Eileen recognizes that the cancer experience touches us all and by pulling together as a caring community and family, we enhance learning, comfort, and healing. Through Eileen’s 20-year history, she, and the organization, has been recognized for providing high quality, cutting-edge programs for individuals and families coping with cancer. This past June, Eileen received the prestigious Maurice Saltzman Award from the Mt Sinai Health Care Foundation. She is only the 4th woman and the 1st social worker to receive this phenomenal honor in the award’s 36 year history.
Eileen has a daughter and a son, four grandchildren and loves to travel and participate in outdoor sports. Eileen Saffran will be handing over the leadership baton of The Gathering Place to a new CEO at the end of 2019. She will spend her first month of retirement traveling through Australia and New Zealand.
Visit: touchedbycancer.org/