Launching of the Ilya Peckerman Foundation for Wegeners Disease

Dear Bagistas,

I never use this blog to discuss anything that’s personal, unless its purseonal. However, it’s with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of my amazing father Ilya Peckerman. My daddy passed away from complications associated with Wegener's Granulomatosis, a rare auto-immune disease affecting the vascular system. It’s a disease few doctors ever see, so its not always easy to diagnose. My sister, mother and I knew something was up when his intense sinusitis wasn’t going away and with some force and leg work got him diagnosed in late May 2009. With the help of serious medication and a strong will for life, my father was making a recovery and was able to walk me down the aisle in August and enjoy my wedding. After going to work for about three months, he had a relapse in late November. He passed away December 18, 2009 and not only did I lose a father, but a great friend. I’m sharing this with you because from such hardship, my family hopes to help others. Over the coming weeks, Michelle and I, along with our mother, will be launching the Ilya Peckerman Foundation for Wegeners and Vasculitis Disease. We want to bring awareness and increase education about this disease, help those who need medication to fight it, and assist in funding new research. We are in the process of finding out the legal aspects of launching such a foundation and I’ll be relating information as it comes. In the mean time you can learn more about this disease here at vasculitisfoundation.org. It’s not easy putting these words out there to the world, but I’m hopefully that a lot of good will come from it.

On another note, I want to share some of my father’s everlasting energy and spirit with you. He was a man that, although being very meticulous and organized, loved spontaneity. He was the social director of his family and friends with a wonderful zest for life. It wouldn’t be far fetched to say his motto was “Carpe Diem”. And so, I wish to share with you – and to remind myself – to “Carpe Diem”. Don’t put off watching a movie with your mother, cooking with your spouse, reading a book to your niece, taking a mini vacation to Boston, actually watching the sun set, leaving yourself 30 minutes each day to read a book, stepping away from your desk on nice day to enjoy lunch outside, taking the longer walk to school, popping into an unusual art gallery, creating an at-home spa day, taking your grandma out for sushi, using your gym membership, testing out a vespa, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, learning to play the piano …
How will you Carpe Diem today?

Have a healthy, bag-a-licious day!
Pamela Pekerman