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.
It all started with knee pain while training for a marathon. Eventually, it got so bad that one day, Ann Graham couldn’t walk. At the age of 43, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that usually afflicts children. Graham began treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where she underwent 30 rounds of chemotherapy and had most of the bones in her left leg replaced with titanium. That’s also where she met little superheroes who were battling cancer alongside her in the pediatric ward.
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. MIB Agents is a leading pediatric osteosarcoma nonprofit dedicated to Making It Better (MIB) for its community of patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers through patient programs, research, education, and legislative advocacy for pediatric cancer:
- Programs (seven in all) are designed to support the patient and family from diagnosis through treatment and beyond
- Research for osteosarcoma-specific work is funded annually
- Education for all MIB Constituents including an annual osteosarcoma research conference, a testing and data directory, MIB’s Patient handbook on Osteosarcoma, and a weekly webinar and podcast featuring the leaders in osteosarcoma research, innovation and hope.
A mission of this size and scope desires the hearts and minds of many. MIB accomplishes the tasks before it with its dedicated team and over 200 volunteers. Learn more HERE.