FITCHBURG, Wis. -- Gilda's Club of Madison is in the final fundraising push before breaking ground on its new facility in early September.

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Organizers had set a goal of $3.5 million, and are down to the last $1.5 million. Organizers said that they hope a three-day radio-a-thon on "Magic 98" (98.1 FM) will get them started on that goal starting on Wednesday, WISC-TV reported.

Magic 98 will present Concert For Gilda's Club, which features recorded clips, music, listener stories, and interviews with celebrities. Last year, the event surpassed its $98,000 goal and raised $120,000.

One Fitchburg family is helping raise those funds. Mike and Kim Feller said that they found comfort and support at a Gilda's Club after Mike was diagnosed with a rare bile duct cancer in 2003.

"His prognosis was that he would live six months to a year," said Kim Feller.

But the family never gave up hope.

"We never wanted to believe that this was going to be a terminal illness, that this was going to take Mike's life," said Feller. "He (Mike) was 37. We weren't just going to succumb to this cancer. We were not going to be looking into hospice, no way, we were looking for a place of support."

The couple said that they found it at Gilda's Club of Detroit.

"We went to check it out and walked in and just felt at home immediately because it was just so warm and cozy there," said Feller. "You could smell the coffee, you could smell the cookies."

Most important for the Fellers was that the club offered hope and support for children. Their two children were 8 and 6 at the time, and Kim was pregnant with their third, WISC-TV reportd.

"It was like they respected what we were going through, but they didn't feel sorry for us, which we were happy about," said Feller. "They could understand and we could tell they were sympathetic to our situation, but they were so ready to help."

The couple returned with their children Ben and Alyssa.

"Me and Alyssa played with the toys and stuff," said Ben.

"It made me feel pretty happy," said Alyssa. "It made me sort of forget that my dad was sick. I just thought it was a place to play, so I just played there and forgot about that my dad was sick."

"The first time you come to Gilda's Club, they give you a free blanket and a free stuffed animal and you get to choose which one and you get to keep it," said Ben.

Both Alyssa and Ben said that they have kept those precious blankets and stuffed animals.

"They remind me of my dad and of the Gilda's Club and what we did there and how it made me feel," said Alyssa.

Mike lost his battle to cancer in the fall of 2004, just after the family moved back to Madison to be near both sets of grandparents. The children said that they have happy memories from a very sad time in their lives, WISC-TV reported.

"Before I went to Gilda's Club, I thought I was the only one who had a sick dad," said Alyssa. "I thought it was new and wasn't supposed to happen and none of that should have ever happened."

Now, ages 11 and 9, Ben and Alyssa said that they are looking forward to sharing their experiences with other children at Gilda's Club of Madison.

"I would tell them to still have hope, that's the big thing," said Ben. "You just have to have hope and that's the biggest thing you need."

The Feller family moved back to the Madison area before Mike died to be closer to both families. They credit their large support network, family, friends and church with helping them pull through a difficult time, WISC-TV reported.

The family took counseling through hospice and their church after Mike's death, but said that they wished Gilda's Club was available then.

Feller is writing a book of her memoirs of the family's last year together. She hopes to publish it as a source of hope, love and inspiration for families going through the same thing, WISC-TV reported.

Note: For more information about Gilda's Club, call 608-442-9369 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.