The Partnership

The Brave Like Gabe Foundation is proud to partner with Brooks Running to realize our two-part mission: to support rare cancer research and empower all cancer survivors through physical activity.

As one of Brooks Running’s professional athletes, Gabe was on hand in 2017 as Brooks made a donation to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the conversation about a long-term partnership to support rare cancer research began. 

The result: the Brave Like Gabe Foundation, in partnership with Brooks Running, now makes an annual grant of $150,000 supporting the Brave Fellowship at Fred Hutch. This fellowship, started in 2020, is part of an ongoing effort to support the work of post-doctoral researchers who themselves have overcome barriers to pursuing a research career. In line with the mission and values of the Brave Like Gabe Foundation, this fellowship ensures retention and helps to foster a diverse community of scientists within rare cancer research. 

We are thrilled to announce the recipient of the Brave Fellowship at Fred Hutch funded by Brooks Running on behalf of the Brave Like Gabe Foundation

Dr. Rosevalentine Bosire

2023 Brave Fellow

Dr. Rosevalentine Bosire, a postdoctoral researcher at Fred Hutch, is the fourth recipient of the Brave Fellowship, which honors Gabe Grunewald, a professional runner who was diagnosed with a rare salivary gland cancer, adenoid cystic carcinoma, in 2009, and went on to advocate for research into rare cancers.

Bosire’s research in the lab of Richard Adeyemi, DVM, PhD, focuses on unlocking the key to drug resistance in cancers carrying mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Changes in those genes can affect cells’ ability to repair DNA, increasing the risk of developing breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancers. These mutations are rare — implicated in less than 10% of breast cancer and ovarian cancer cases, for example — but they can lead to cancers with fewer treatment options and higher recurrence rates.

Bosire aims to inform the development of new treatments that cut off the path to drug resistance and recurrence in these cancers.

This fellowship focuses on two things, to fund research that is focused on rare cancers. It also supports scientists from underrepresented communities within the academic scientific world.

Quote excerpts below are from a Fred Hutch interview with Dr. Rosevalentine:

Can you tell us about your research project?

“My research focuses on BRCA1- and BRCA2-deficient cancer subtypes. Mutations in these genes are associated with triple negative breast cancer and high-grade serous ovarian cancer subtypes, which are aggressive, difficult to treat and have a high recurrence rate. These cancers are sensitive to DNA-damaging drugs like cisplatin, which is a standard treatment option. Following treatment, however, BRCA-deficient cancer cells often rely on alternative DNA repair pathways for survival and thus become resistant.”

What challenges have you faced in pursuing a career in science?

“Laboratory facilities are very limited in Kenya. At my university, we had all these wonderful lectures, but there were very few experiments that we could do. It was common to learn about a lab technique and then be told that there is only one such piece of equipment in the country. And perhaps the equipment was awaiting repairs at that particular time. Much of what we learned, though exciting, remained abstract.

In order to pursue my field of interest, I had to move away from my home. I completed my PhD in Hungary and afterward came here for my postdoctoral research. One of the challenges of being an international postdoc is that federal fellowships are only open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Though the funding opportunities available to non-residents are limited, I am still grateful to have them at all.”

What does the Brave Fellowship help make possible?

“Creating effective cures for cancer will take the collective effort of many dedicated researchers. My goal is to contribute to the knowledge that will change cancer from a terminal condition to a treatable disease, not just for the wealthy but even for those in the remotest villages of Africa and the rest of the global south.

I also ultimately aim to help not just the common cancers affecting millions, but also the cancers afflicting only hundreds. The Brave Fellowship will enable me to achieve my mission.”

Empowering All Cancer Survivors Through Physical Activity