Born on this day in Detroit, Michigan, comedienne Gilda Radner (1946–1989) was a petite fireball of talent and the first woman hired for Saturday Night Live.

On SNL, Radner dazzled with unforgettable characters like rock singer Candy Slice, awkward teenager Lisa Loobner, and the hilariously brash reporter Roseanne Roseannadanna. Huggable and witty, she made us laugh...

Then she inspired us with her brave battle against ovarian cancer.

“Having cancer gave me membership in an elite club that I'd rather not belong to,” she admitted in her memoir, It’s Always Something, a candid recount of her struggles, hopes, and frustrations. She fought with courage through nine rounds of chemotherapy and 30 radiation treatments.

“Now I've learned the hard way,” she observed, “that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end.”

In 1995, six years after her death, Gilda’s Club opened in New York City to provide a haven of education, hope, and friendship for those affected by cancer. Today, locations exist around the world, welcoming all with the words: “Living with cancer? Come as you are.”

Writer George Bernard Shaw once said, “When a thing is funny, search it for a hidden truth.” Gilda’s truth was in her courage, her ability to find laughter through tears, and the joy she left behind.