Gopher Casey O'Brien has been a lightening-rod for cancer awareness this fall, and the place holder's story caught the attention of another Gopher who's very much involved in beating cancer.
Gone but certainly not forgotten, Gabe Grunewald was a great Gopher middle-distance runner, an All-American. She lived life to the fullest, all the way to the end when Gabe died in June after a long battle with cancer.
She was just 32 years old.
“When you go home after a shift and it's just quiet,” says Gabe's husband Justin Grunewald. “You get home and no one there."
The transition to being alone has not been easy, but keeping busy helps. Justin runs the "Brave Like Gabe" foundation on top of his job as a doctor.
Grunewald was invited to be an honorary captain before the Gopher football game in mid-October, and that's when he met four-time cancer survivor Casey O'Brien.
“You had a chance to meet him at the Gopher game against Nebraska, what was your impression?” asked KARE 11's Randy Shaver.
“He's kind of a star, like a star he shines and carries himself so well,” Grunewald replied.
That meeting confirmed what Justin thought after watching a story about Casey and U of M osteosarcoma researcher Branden Moriarity on KARE 11 last September. The two men are destined for big things, things Gabe would fully support. That's why the "Brave like Gabe" foundation, through Casey, are giving Dr. Moriarity a $100,000 grant.
“This money is incredibly important because it’s going to form the nucleus of the next frontier of research on osteosarcoma and therapeutic development,” says Moriarity, obviously thankful for the foundation's support. “The next evolution of the therapy is going to be using immune cells, the patient’s own cells.”
Instead of chemo therapy, which is physically taxing on patients, Moriarity believes we can re-program our own immune cells to fight specific cancers like osteosarcoma. It promises less side effects, and better results. Dr. Moriarity thinks that's possible in the next 3 to 5 years.
Unfortunately, that’s too late for many... including Gabe... but theraputic development could offer a better chance of survival for future cancer patients.
“If we can cure one cancer, create a better treatment for a cancer and keep people hopeful while dealing with cancer or obstacles in life, I can look back and smile,” says Justin.
The Brave Like Gabe foundation is hoping people will donate to match the gift. They've set up a crowd-funding page for those who would like to contribute.