Ann Graham
Adversity: Cancer diagnosis
Advocacy: Founded a nonprofit to serve pediatric cancer patients
“I used to think that everything happens for a reason, until I saw children dying of cancer. Cancer was my best teacher and ultimately, a saving grace. I love my age, my birthdays, my wrinkles, my life.”
Graham survived; many kids with the same cancer did not. To make it better for kids battling cancer, Graham founded a nonprofit called MIB (Make It Better) Agents. The organization provides support for children with cancer and their families. “Hope is the light that shines in the dark room,” says Graham. That hope comes from “special agents” – pediatric cancer survivors who are paired with children still in treatment. The organization also has a network of “special ops agents” who provide funding for gifts and special experiences to help ease the suffering these little superheroes face in their battle against cancer. Whether it’s tickets to a Broadway musical for a superhero dancer or a new Stratocaster for a rock star hero, Ann Graham is making it happen for kids fighting cancer.