Every year, more than 300,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2026, the American Cancer Society estimates nearly 322,000 women will receive diagnoses.
For Bee Brave—a passionate and driven West Michigan community dedicated to supporting breast cancer awareness and research—the numbers are a call to action.
“Our Bee Brave community is comprised of people who have been directly impacted by this insidious disease, as well as their friends and family,” said Bee Brave Race Director Chris Bartnick. “To them, and to us, this is personal.”
Throughout the year, Bee Brave hosts events to raise funds for groundbreaking breast cancer research at Van Andel Institute. Among these are the Bee Brave Golf Scramble, scheduled this year for Saturday, June 20, 2026 and the Bee Brave 5K, happening Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Since 2016, Bee Brave events have raised more than $1.1 million for research at VAI.
“Partnering with Van Andel Institute was a no-brainer,” said Bee Brave Founder Pat Ringnalda, who founded Bee Brave in 2008 after a dear friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Not only does their research impact us locally, but they also use 100% of the funds we raise for research.”
Funding from Bee Brave has supported research projects aimed at:
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Identifying new ways to improve response in tough-to-treat types of breast cancer.
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Developing a model to study how genetics and environmental factors impact breast cancer risk in young women who have had children.
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Informing improved screening and personalized care based on genetic risk factors.
“From the beginning, we knew we wanted our money to go directly to breast cancer research,” Ringnalda said. “Every single day is another step toward a new discovery.”
Click here to learn more about how you can join Bee Brave in supporting groundbreaking breast cancer research.
Courtesy of Van Andel Institute.
Photos courtesy of Van Andel Institute.
