August 10, 2018
Friends and Colleagues,
Over the past few months, I’ve been sharing a few stories from my collection of writings with my friends, family, colleagues, and connections. Most of these have related to leadership coaching and development – I hope you’ve enjoyed them. Today, I’m writing with a new kind of story – one that’s very personal and so important to me, I’ve decided to share it with the hope of inviting you to participate in a special event in my family’s life.
August is a very meaningful time of the year for me and my family. Five years ago, my wife, Ardy, lost her five-year battle with Multiple Myeloma cancer. Surrounded by her loved family and friends, she passed away on August 10, 2013. And while this anniversary can be very difficult, our family has turned the remembrance of our dear Ardy from a tearful moment into an annual celebration of the love that she shared with us as a wife, mother, sister, and friend.
Rather than mourn her loss each year, we remember and celebrate her life by joining hands and hearts together. Each September, “Team Ardy” participates in the Twin Cities Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation’s 5k Walk/Run. If anyone in your family has been impacted by Multiple Myeloma, or any other cancer, you know funding for research is critical to developing new therapies to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for those afflicted with this disease. MMRF’s Mission is to find a cure for multiple myeloma by relentlessly pursuing innovation that accelerates the development of next-generation treatments to extend the lives of patients. I can think of no better way to celebrate Ardy than to raise money to help cure this disease – and what could be a very sad time in our lives, has turned into an outpouring of love and happiness; a day of joyful reunions and memories.
This year’s race is on Sunday, September 23rd and we are expecting the biggest turnout yet for Team Ardy. I hope what started at a 10-member team in 2013 grows to more than 60 in 2018. I also hope that our fundraising for the Team surpasses our wildest dreams – in fact, we are setting a goal of raising $10,000 this year for our team – double our goal of last year. I would love to see you as part of Team Ardy, either as a walker/runner or as a contributor to the team’s fundraising efforts. If you’d like to walk or run with us – email me: peter@germannconsultinggroup.com and we’ll get you signed up. If you’d like to make a donation – here’s the Ardy Germann Team Home Page. Or – if you’d simply like to get together, share stories and catch up on life’s events – that would be a great gift to me as well!
I am ever grateful for my family and friend’s support this time of year – no matter what form it takes. Summer has flown by – I hope that you and your families have had a moment or two to spend time together, enjoying each other’s company.
Thank you,