Ann Schommer, November 2004, 1 month after diagnosis
Ann, with her children: Amy Hanson, David Breitenbucher, and Renita Breitenbucher
Why PurpleRide?
My name is David Breitenbucher. My mom, Ann Schommer, passed away on April 26, 2005 from pancreatic cancer. This is our story.
In the summer of 2004 my mom was experiencing back pain. As the weeks went by, her pain was increasing to the point where she could hardly sleep. Not only was her back pain becoming unbearable, but the pain was creeping into her stomach. Her doctor was unable to find the source of the pain. Finally, my mom went to her doctor and said, "I can't live with this pain". Her doctors finally ordered a CT to investigate the source of the pain.
On October 1st, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 (final stage) pancreatic cancer. It was extremely difficult to come to terms with the rapid growth of this cancer when my mom had really only experienced two months of symptoms. After her diagnosis, our family slowly came to the realization that there is no cure for pancreatic cancer. Still today, we continue to struggle with the reality of this cruel disease. After an unsuccessful surgery and two different chemotherapies, mom's condition continued to deteriorate to the point where she spent virtually all of March 2005 in the hospital dealing with horrific pain, overwhelming nausea, and terrifying seizures. Our family experienced some of our darkest days during this time.
As I helplessly sat day after day watching my mom battle for her life, I came to the realization that I must do something in honor of my mother and to help fight pancreatic cancer.
My sisters and I set up The Ann Schommer Foundation to raise money for pancreatic cancer research. The proceeds from The Ann Schommer Foundation will be divided this way:
- 80% of our proceeds will go to PanCAN for pancreatic cancer research. We are encouraged by this organization, as they are at the forefront of putting money towards research directed at discovering a molecular and/or genetic market to aid in the earlier diagnosis and screening of pancreatic cancer (such as now exists, for example, with prostate cancer).
- 10% will go to Fairview Hospice. Fairview Hospice was instrumental in helping not only my mom, but our whole family in the final days and weeks of her life.
- 10% will go to CaringBridge. CaringBridge is a wonderful online resource that we used daily for 7 months to communicate to our friends and family about the prognosis of my mom.
After setting up The Ann Schommer Foundation, we wanted to do more to raise awareness and money in honor of my mom. That is how PurpleRide was born! I, along with my half-brother, Daniel, decided to bike across America in the summer of 2005. This sixty day trip was completed in honor of my mom.