Continuing her legacy: A sweet tribute for a beloved aunt
- Sarah Waara
- 46 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Amy Duchac spent more than 20 years raising funds for the Reiman Cancer Center in honor of her friends and loved ones battling the disease. In that time, she raised and donated over $70,000 to Reiman through her annual ladies only golf outing.
In 2022, Amy received the words that no one ever wants to hear: you have cancer. After spending two decades giving back in support of those facing the disease, Amy found herself on the other side of the fight — as a stage four Mullerian cancer patient in the place she had spent years supporting.
Amy fought as hard as she could, for as long as she could, with a heart full of faith and optimism. After three years of battling, on September 9, 2025, she was called home to heaven and earned her angel wings.
As her family navigated grief and life without Amy, they found a special way to honor her and continue her spirit of giving.
“July 26 was her birthday, and it was the first one with her being gone,” Sam Burgmeier, Amy’s niece, shared. “She loved celebrating her birthday! Amy is the type of person that would have been really mad if we spent the day wallowing, and I just didn’t want to be sad on such a special day. Her day was always one full of laughs and joy and I wanted to feel that again.
“My sons (Colden, 10 and Benny, 5) had been asking me all summer to have a lemonade stand, but the deal was that they had to do something helpful with the money, they couldn’t keep it. When I suggested Reiman for Auntie Amy, my oldest got the biggest smile on his face and said, ‘Oh my gosh, we have to do that.’ She had always been very present in their lives and I know they miss her, too.”
Sam and her boys spent the days leading up to July 26 making friendship bracelets, painting rocks and reminiscing on the impact that Amy had on their lives.
On the morning of Amy’s birthday, Sam made a social media post thinking that a few neighbors might stop by. Her uncle then shared the information with his friends and family, and her mom did the same. Soon, the lemonade stand was bustling with beloved customers.
“It turned into a revolving door of friends and family stopping by; it was truly heartwarming and healing.”, Sam shared. “Everybody gave so much because they knew it was for Amy and the Reiman Cancer Center. My oldest was running the stand, and he did an amazing job, I was so proud of him. People just gave so generously.”
By the end of the day, the lemonade stand raised more than $1,100 for patients at the Reiman Cancer Center.
When Sam and her boys brought the donation to Reiman, they were reminded that Amy’s impact extended far beyond family.
“It was important to me that my boys brought the check to Reiman themselves to see what and who all of their hard work was for. Reiman was such a special place for Auntie Amy, she loved the staff so much, and I wanted my boys to make that connection, as well.
“Auntie Amy was a second mom to me for my entire life, so losing her has left this huge void for me. She was my person that I could talk to about anything. We talked almost daily," Sam shared. "She was always looking on the bright side, knew how to find the humor in every situation, and was my cheerleader reminding me to live my dash and make it count. For me, this was a really beautiful way to keep her memory alive and find a little purpose for this pain to make sure that people remember no one fights alone.”
Amy spent more than two decades giving back to help people facing cancer. While she is no longer with us, her family and friends — Amy’s Army — are carrying that spirit forward. Her legacy lives on in the people she loved, the lives she touched and the patients who will benefit from a gift made in her memory.
