Bee Brave 5K was birthed out of a mission to do more in the battle against breast cancer. Having watched a dear friend fight this terrible disease, Pat Ringnalda created a 5K to raise funds in an effort to do just that and found like-minded individuals to join forces in raising funds.
As a 100% volunteer organization, they became impassioned to find a facility that would use 100% of the funds they raised directly for breast cancer research. During their search, they discovered that an incredible research facility was right in their hometown of Grand Rapids at Van Andel Institute!
In the fall of 2015, Bee Brave proudly joined forces with Van Andel Institute in a cohesive and symbiotic relationship to maximize fundraising dollars in a way most organizations cannot. You can feel good about supporting Bee Brave because 100% of the money raised not only stays local when it's sent directly to Van Andel Institute, but VAI then uses 100% of that money for breast cancer research.
More about Van Andel Institute:
Van Andel Institute began with a vision: to improve human health.
Founded by the Van Andel family in 1996, VAI is now home to nearly 500 scientists, educators and staff — each one of us deeply connected to the work we do and driven by an urgent desire to improve health and enhance lives.
Every day, we collaborate at the forefront of fundamental and translational science in pursuit of breakthrough treatment strategies for cancer, Parkinson’s and other diseases. Through shared values and an entrepreneurial spirit, we spark innovation to multiply the impact of discovery and answer critical questions for our world.
We believe that hope for tomorrow lives in the students of today. Our Graduate School offers a rigorous, research-intensive Ph.D. program that develops leaders in molecular and cellular biology. Our inquiry-based approaches for K–12 education help create classrooms where curiosity, creativity and critical thinking thrive.
A hub for ideas and advancements, the Institute is fueled by a community of bright minds who share a relentless curiosity and a deep commitment to make the world a better place.
At Van Andel Institute, we do more than dream about improving human health. We strive to make it a reality every day.
