Running for Rare Cancer Research in Memory of Gabriele Grunewald

We are honored to run the 2025 Berlin Marathon in memory of Gabriele Grunewald — a professional runner, rare cancer advocate, and a radiant symbol of resilience who inspired the world with her strength, grace, and unwavering hope.

Gabe’s courageous battle with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare and relentless cancer, showed us the power of perseverance and the importance of standing with those who face the most uncertain journeys. In her spirit, we’re not just running — we’re running with purpose. Every step we take is a step toward better treatments, deeper understanding, and, one day, a cure for rare diseases like the one Gabriele so bravely faced.

Rare diseases receive only a fraction of research funding, yet they touch thousands of lives. Every dollar raised will help advance critical research, fuel innovation, and bring hope to patients and families who need it most. Together, we carry forward Gabriele’s legacy — one of fierce love, grit, and unshakable hope.

Your contribution, no matter the size, makes a meaningful impact. Together, we can take the steps needed — in memory of Gabe and in support of all those still in the fight — to move closer to a cure.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

#BraveLikeGabe #RunningOnHope

With care and hope,

Jen, Kylee and Shawn

About Jen - Rare Cancer Fighter

I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer—Peritoneal Mesothelioma—at just 14 years old. At the time, I was one of the youngest patients ever diagnosed.

For a few years, treatments kept things at bay. But eventually, they stopped working. Doctors told my mom there wasn’t much more they could do. Then, one day, our phone rang. It was my oncologist, asking if we’d consider a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. My mom—brave and determined—said yes without hesitation. Over the next two years, Dr. Richard Alexander and his team gave me a second chance at life.

Everything remained stable until 2009, when cancer came roaring back. That year, I underwent multiple surgeries. My cancer isn’t curable, but I know I’m fortunate to still be here—fighting every single day.

In 2021, during a routine scan, doctors discovered a mass on my right kidney. It was kidney cancer. Another battle, another chapter—this time at Mass General.

Cancer has touched every part of my life. It took the two people who meant the most to me: my grandmother in 2014, and my mom in 2020. These women taught me how to be strong, how to keep going no matter what. I carry their strength with me every day.

This year, I’m incredibly honored to run the Berlin Marathon on September 21, 2025.

Last year, during another routine scan, I learned that my cancer has returned. It’s been 30 years of fighting. And I will continue to fight—not just for myself, but to raise awareness and funds, so that maybe, one day, others won’t have to go through this.

With hope and unwavering determination,
Jen

About Kylee - Oncology Nurse

I am excited to have been chosen to run the Berlin Marathon on September 21, 2025, for the Brave Like Gabe Foundation! The Berlin Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star program. Berlin will be my third star, having also run the Chicago Marathon in 2021 with the American Cancer Society and the New York City Marathon in 2024 with Team Brave Like Gabe. As an Oncology Certified Nurse, both are charities near to my heart, as they support cancer patients, their families, and the research needed to support both.

I am running Berlin to support rare cancer research—with your help, we can personally raise over $3,500 for the Brave Like Gabe Foundation!

Gabe had Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, or ACC, which is a cancer of secretory glands. It is an equal-opportunity disease that might strike anyone. It is not inherited or associated with smoking, drinking, infection, or ethnicity. However, women comprise about 60% of ACC cases. With an average of 1,224 people diagnosed annually in the United States, ACC is considered a rare cancer. 1,224 is a big or small number depending on your perspective, but of course, each of those diagnoses represents a brave, hopeful life.

Because there are fewer rare cancer patients than, say, breast or colon cancer patients, these rare diseases are harder to study. It is more difficult to obtain tissue and tumor samples for scientists to examine, and it can be challenging to test potential therapies. Another critical limiting factor is funding for this research. As the private sector has largely overlooked these rare diseases, the funding often comes from non-profits like Brave Like Gabe—and donors like you! Your donation to my fundraiser supports Brave Like Gabe and critical rare cancer research at institutions like the University of Minnesota, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

“My goal is to raise awareness for these diseases, the research funding disparities, and other challenges that prevent these cancers from having effective treatment options. Through Brave Like Gabe fundraising efforts, we will support research and accelerate treatments for rare cancer patients.”
— Gabe

“I remember feeling devastated when I realized how little research had been done on my cancer and the fact that there were not any FDA-approved treatments for my disease—I don’t want any patient to feel that way; that they’re alone in their fight or that the medical research community doesn’t care about their cancer.”
— Gabe