National nonprofit marks milestone with call to action to expand impact nationwide
BARNARD, VT / ACCESS Newswire / May 1, 2026 / For nearly 50 years, treatment options for osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that primarily affects children and young adults, have seen little meaningful advancement. Today, on its 10th anniversary, MIB Agents is launching a nationwide Day of Giving to help break that cycle. By partnering with patients, families, researchers, clinicians, and industry stakeholders, the nonprofit is working to transform the landscape of this disease and accelerate the development of new therapies children urgently need.
MIB Agents was founded in 2016 by Ann Graham after she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at age 43, an exceptionally rare diagnosis in adults. Treated in the pediatric wing at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center due to the rarity of adult cases, Graham quickly discovered that treatment protocols had remained largely unchanged for decades. While her own disease went into remission, she witnessed too many children undergo the same treatments without surviving. That experience led her to transform her personal journey into a mission-driven organization focused on driving progress in osteosarcoma research and care.
"When I was diagnosed, I entered a world where children were fighting with the same treatments used for generations," said Graham. "That reality was unacceptable. MIB Agents was created to bring urgency, collaboration, and innovation to this space because children deserve better options and better outcomes."
Over the past decade, MIB Agents has become a national leader in osteosarcoma advocacy and research, working at the intersection of patient experience and scientific advancement. Through its OutSmarting Osteosarcoma Research Grant program, launched in 2017, the organization has directly invested $2.5 million in funding to 32 investigators, including a record $700,000 awarded in 2025 alone.
That investment has delivered outsized impact across the field:
$28.5 million in additional follow-on research funding secured by grant recipients
25 peer-reviewed scientific publications
200 presentations advancing global knowledge of osteosarcoma
8 clinical trials launched
This impact underscores MIB Agents' role as a catalyst for accelerating progress in a historically underfunded and under-researched disease area.
In addition to research funding, MIB Agents actively works to shape policy and expand access to innovative treatments. The organization's Junior Advisory Board recently played a key role in the passage of the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act, legislation designed to expand access to combination therapies for children with cancer, providing an important step toward ensuring young patients can benefit from emerging treatment approaches.
"What we accomplished over the past decade to build a community to support research and advancements in osteosarcoma is amazing and unprecedented, however, we still haven't changed outcomes for kids with osteosarcoma and we have to keep the momentum going!" said Matteo Trucco, MD - Board Member, Scientific Advisory Board Chair, Pediatric Oncology at Cleveland Clinic. "MIB Agent's Day of Giving is about fueling the next ten years of innovation. By participating today, our donors are becoming active partners in the discovery of new treatments and the improvement of patient outcomes worldwide."
Beyond research and advocacy, MIB Agents provides critical support to patients and families navigating osteosarcoma. Through resources, programming, and community-building initiatives, the organization addresses the emotional and practical challenges of diagnosis and treatment. This community comes together each year at the FACTOR Osteosarcoma Conference, an annual convening of researchers, clinicians, patients, and families. FACTOR 2026 will take place June 25-27 in Columbus, Ohio.
"Our decade of progress in the conquest of childhood osteosarcoma is a source of pride and provides the springboard from which to expand funding of MIB's research and educational initiatives," said Dr. John Healey, MD. "Participants in this Day of Giving are active partners in the discovery of new approaches to vanquish childhood bone cancer. Please join us in this quest."
Despite growing awareness, osteosarcoma remains an area of significant unmet need, with limited therapeutic advancements over the past five decades. MIB Agents continues to work to change that trajectory by advancing research, fostering collaboration, and elevating patient voices.
"As someone directly impacted by osteosarcoma, MIB Agents has given meaning to my misfortune and introduced me to a community that won't quit until a cure is found. I couldn't be prouder to be a small part of it," said Walker Smallwood, MIB Agents' NextGen president, osteosarcoma survivor, and medical student.
Call to Action: May 1 Day of Giving
Funds raised through the May 1 Day of Giving will directly support research initiatives, collaborative efforts, and patient-centered programs aimed at accelerating the development of new treatments and improving outcomes for children with osteosarcoma.
To donate or learn more, visit www.mibagents.org.
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About MIB Agents
Founded in 2016, MIB Agents is a leading pediatric osteosarcoma nonprofit dedicated to making it better for its community of patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers through programs, education, and research.
Media Contact
Alanna Anderson
MIBAgents@interdependence.com
SOURCE: MIB Agents
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/mib-agents-marks-10th-anniversary-with-national-day-of-giving-to-acce-1162884
