I was shopping several years ago at a local clothing store that I love when I met Susan Brogger, the store manager. Naturally, we started talking about shoes, and one pair in particular I’d been trying on. But as the conversation progressed, I had learned that Susan just recently lost her mother to pancreatic cancer.
She mentioned that she was partnering with the Van Andel Institute (VAI) and their Purple Community to start a fundraiser and asked if Arie Nol Auto Center would be interested in contributing. We did and we were so thankful for the opportunity to support someone who has taken the loss of a parent as a chance to support this local research facility.
Susan’s story resonated with me so well because Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer have all impacted our family's life in the past several years. Since getting involved, we've had the pleasure of learning more about VAI and what they hope to accomplish in the future. And by us learning about the ways they impact our community, more people like Susan can take their grief and turn it into positive action by raising funds, awareness and hope all at the same time.
The Mari J. Meyer Pancreatic Cancer Trail Run for Hope will be held Saturday, September 12, at East Kentwood High School Cross Country Course at 8:30 a.m. If you’re looking for a fun, un- timed run that supports the Purple Community, this is the event for you!