Tribute to Geneva man goes the distance
Last October, Peter Ellermann of Geneva was enjoying a family vacation in Colorado to celebrate his 30th wedding anniversary.
This October, his children are running the Chicago Marathon in his memory, and to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer, the disease that took Ellermann's life.
Kellie Ellermann, 28, of Boston plans to go the whole 26 miles Sunday for her dad as an official racer; her brother, David, 26, of Geneva will hop in around the five-mile mark as a rogue runner, and her sister, Erenn, 27, of Chicago will join in later on the route. Mom Sharon will cheer them on.
"I never really planned on being in a marathon," David said Wednesday.
He had been running to relieve stress, four miles several times a week. "But all of a sudden I can do more. I've surprised myself that I have the capacity to run these long distances," he said.
He figures he can run the last 20 miles Sunday with Kellie. Next year he'll do the whole thing as an official participant.
They are asking people to donate money for PanCAN, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, which pushes for research into the disease and its treatment. So far, they've netted $15,580. They hope for $20,000.
Ellermann saw a doctor about two weeks after the Colorado trip because his back and stomach hurt. It turned out the pain was from cancer. The nonsmoker, avid bicyclist and men's league tennis player died June 30.
"He was a very charismatic person. You'd always remember him," said his son. Ellermann trained salesmen, then started a printing business in Batavia, Innova Print Fulfillment.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that 37,170 people are diagnosed each year in the United States with pancreatic cancer, and 33,370 die of the disease. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death for men, and fifth for women. It has an overall five-year survival rate of less than 4 percent, in part because it often produces no symptoms until it is spread beyond the pancreas, and because it does not respond well to chemotherapy, surgery and radiation once it has spread.
David played center on the St. Charles High School hockey club team and was on the wrestling team. He and Kellie have followed the same training program to prepare for the marathon: 5-mile runs four times a week and a 20-mile run on the weekend. His friends are supportive, he said, but still, "They think I'm crazy with all this running."
But Peter Ellermann said, "Take care of family, because they are the only ones always there for you," David remembered. When Kellie announced her goal, he had to help. "I'm doing it to support her," he said.
To make donations to PanCAN, go to the Web site.