Ruth Bachman has been a kindergarten teacher, a childbirth educator, an aerobics instructor, a children's choir director, a travel guide and a volunteer coordinator. In February of 2003, she was a left-handed woman, wife and mother in apparent good health. She ate reasonably well, was physically active, had annual checkups, practiced yoga, attended church regularly, volunteered in the community and even read to four-year-olds weekly!

Following an early-2003 diagnosis of very high grade malignant fibrous histiosytoma in her left wrist, she told her doctor that she would not accept amputation. He encouraged her to accept—to choose—life without her left hand. Surgery to remove her forearm and hand was performed on Friday the 13th of June, 2003, one month earlier than planned.

Today… she is a right-handed woman, wife, mother and grandmother in apparent good health. She eats reasonably well, is physically active, has annual checkups, practices yoga, attends church regularly, volunteers in the community and reads to her grandchildren weekly. Her inspiring philosophy is: “If cancer is the narrow spot in the hourglass, and I am the sand, then I have traveled from the top, through the tight spot, to the bottom. I am the same sand—but with a different arrangement.”

Ruth lives in Eden Prairie, Minnesota with her husband, Dale, who is best known to the garden center industry as the CEO of Bachmans’.