MIB Agents' Community of Families Has Awarded Over $1.5M in Grants to Research Pediatric Bone Cancer

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Jun 14, 2023, 08:42 ET

Leading Pediatric Osteosarcoma Nonprofit to Present $600,000 to 7 Scientists on June 24 to Find Kinder Treatments for Patients

BARNARD, Vt., June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MIB Agents, a leading pediatric osteosarcoma nonprofit dedicated to Making It Better for its community of patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers, announced today that since its inception in 2016, it has awarded over $1.5 million to scientists across the country through its OutSmarting Osteosarcoma grant program. The OutSmarting Osteosarcoma grants are supported by MIB Agents Family Funds, osteosarcoma patients and families who raise funds in honor of an OsteoWarrior, a patient currently battling osteosarcoma or an OsteoAngel, a loved one who has passed.

As part of MIB Agents' FACTOR Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, this June, the nonprofit will award $600,000 in grants to 7 scientists dedicated to moving osteosarcoma cancer research forward, marking the most money raised to date by MIB Agents' Family Funds. Osteosarcoma is an aggressive, malignant, primary bone cancer affecting 800-900 people in the U.S. each year and is the most common bone cancer affecting children and young adults.

"OutSmarting Osteosarcoma is more than a grant program; we are fostering collaboration between patient families and researchers to move research forward toward improving treatment for this disease and finding a cure together," said Ann Graham, Founder and Executive Director of MIB Agents. "MIB Family Funders selflessly put aside their own suffering to help others who are yet to be diagnosed. They remain engaged past survivorship or even the passing of their own child to help ensure that no other child should suffer the way their own child did."

The OutSmarting Osteosarcoma grant represents a partnership between the scientific and patient community with patients and their families funding much-needed research. Patients participate in MIB Agents' robust scientific review process alongside scientists, clinicians and researchers, offering a voice on how research will impact patient outcomes."

The OutSmarting Osteosarcoma 2023 grant recipients receiving $100,000 each for research will be awarded to:

Shahab Asgharzadeh, MD | Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Robert J. Canter, MD | UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Heather Gardner, DVM, PhD | Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University | Granted because of Annaleigh and Fishin' For The Cure
Ryan D. Roberts, MD, PhD | Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital | Granted by Fishin' For The Cure
Sam Volchenboum, MD, PhD | The University of Chicago | Granted because of Annaleigh

Recipients receiving a $50,000 Young Investigator grant include:

Amanda Marinoff, MD | University of California, San Francisco | Granted because of Charlotte
Marta Roman Moreno, PhD | University of California, San Francisco | Granted because of Sydney

"It is very important to us to be involved in the review process and to play a part in choosing the OutSmarting recipients," said Sarah and Greg Kaplan, parents of OsteoAngel Sydney. "As a patient family, we have a very different perspective than researchers, doctors and others in the medical field and we feel our input makes the process more well-rounded and impactful. On behalf of our beautiful daughter Sydney, we are honored to be able to help support research that will help other kids and families currently in the fight as well as those in the future."

On June 22-24, MIB Agents will host its annual FACTOR conference in Atlanta where clinicians, researchers, industry partners, survivors, patients and bereaved families will come together to discuss progress in osteosarcoma research, officially award the OutSmarting Osteosarcoma grants, and connect the scientific and patient community to collaborate.

"We were terrified when our 16-year-old daughter, Annaleigh, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The terror increased when we learned that just 8% of cancer research funding goes to childhood cancer, and an even smaller percentage to osteosarcoma," said Debi Grilo, mom of OsteoAngel Annaleigh. "Before Annaleigh died, she expressed that she did not want anyone to suffer the way she did, and we feel compelled to carry on in her memory. We are inspired by MIB Agents' commitment to Making It Better for OsteoWarriors, like our daughter. These kids need a champion in their corner, and MIB Agents is!"

To learn more about MIB Agents, the OutSmarting Osteosarcoma grant program or to make a donation toward pediatric osteosarcoma research, please click here.

About MIB Agents
Founded in 2012, MIB Agents is a leading pediatric osteosarcoma nonprofit dedicated to making it better for our community of patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers through programs, education, and research.

Media Contact:
Kelly Maicon
[email protected]
919.741.9784

SOURCE MIB Agents