There's a lot of sadness in Amberg, Germany this holiday season. A family buried their mother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and grandmother and many said farewell to a dear friend. Traudl was a ray of sunshine, bursting with energy and optimism for all that knew her and the lives she touched were so enriched for it.

Traudl is my dear friend Stephanie's aunt. Here they are together:Traudl She joins her sister, Stephanie's mother Lotte - one of the most amazing people I've ever had the honor to know – and her beautiful mother with the angels. I'm sure there was a warm and loving Pongratz reunion that day. Here is Traudl with her two sisters and Stephanie:

Added Added to the searing pain of the loss, Traudl died of breast cancer, undiagnosed until it reached the terminal stage. It feels like one of those stories where you want to declare it avoidable, a death that could have been avoided. A family that could have been spared so much sadness and heartache.

This is why we have to keep working for a cure. Breast cancer knows no boundaries – not race, demographics, geography, religion - it just doesn't matter.

So tomorrow, as we all join to close out a calendar year and begin the new year of 2008, please take add Traudl and her family and loved ones to your thoughts and prayers.

In closing, a passage from the Little Prince which was chosen as part of Traudl's obituary. I've left it in German to preserve the magic of the presentation and sentiment:

"Wenn du bei Nacht den Himmel anschaust, wird es dir sein, als lachten all Sterne, weil ich auf einen von ihnen wohne, weil ich auf einem von ihnen lache. Du allein wirst Sterne haben, die lichen konnen. Und wenn du dich getrostet hast, wirst du froh sein, mich gekannt zu haben."

Antoine de Saint-Expurey, "Der Kleiner Prinz"