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This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we’re highlighting three MIB Agents families and the stories behind their Gold Bows. Their experiences with osteosarcoma have inspired them to raise awareness, support research, and advocate for better treatments and brighter futures for children and families. Learn more about their stories, why they became Bow Agents, and what the Gold Bow means to them.
Tell us a little about your family and your connection to MIB Agents.
Dori Maddry #BecauseOfMacKenzie: MacKenzie was diagnosed at 14 with osteosarcoma. She had a lot of harsh side effects from the chemo, including long-lasting issues. She's almost 5 years NED but not without a cost - which is why we fundraise for better options for kids.
Andrea Olivero #BecauseOfAnthony: Our connection to MIB Agents is personal. Our son, Anthony, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 15, and through his journey we became connected with the osteosarcoma community. MIB Agents has been an important source of support, connection, and hope for our family, and we’re grateful to now be able to give back and support other families facing osteosarcoma.
Talisha Taylor #BecauseOfCamrin: We are a family of five from Jacksonville, Florida. We love sports and spending time together as a family. Our lives changed on June 3, 2025, when our 14-year-old son, Camrin, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his right proximal humerus. Cam underwent months of chemotherapy and limb-salvage surgery as part of his treatment. He completed chemotherapy in January 2026 and continues to undergo surveillance scans and orthopedic care as we navigate life after treatment. We learned about MIB Agents after Cam’s diagnosis and found a community dedicated specifically to osteosarcoma families, research, education, and advocacy. When your child is diagnosed with a rare cancer, finding people who truly understand that specific diagnosis matters.
What inspired your family to become a Bow Agent?
Dori: We want to help other OsteoWarriors have less toxic treatments; no kid should have to go through so much. We learned about the bow program & was excited to help fundraise for so many of the amazing MIB programs.
Andrea: We chose to become a Bow Agent because osteosarcoma is a huge part of our family’s story. After watching Athony fight this disease, we know firsthand how important awareness, support, and hope are for children and families facing childhood cancer. We want to use our experience and our voice to help raise awareness, honor the children and families affected by osteosarcoma, and support the MIB Agents mission. Being a Bow Agent gives us a meaningful way to turn our journey into action and help make a difference for others.
Talisha: Before June 3, 2025, I knew very little about osteosarcoma. Then, in a matter of days, words like osteosarcoma, chemotherapy, limb salvage, scans, and necrosis became part of our everyday vocabulary. Becoming a Bow Agent gives our family a tangible way to turn what we have experienced into advocacy. We can’t change what happened to Cam, but we can use our experience to help make osteosarcoma visible, support research, and make another family feel a little less alone.
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Why is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the Gold Bow meaningful to your family?
Dori: For my family, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the Gold Bow are powerful reminders of what MacKenzie has overcome and why we continue to advocate for the next child diagnosed. No child should endure harsh chemo, no parent should face losing their child, and people need to understand that childhood cancer can happen to anyone.
Andrea: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the Gold Bow hold a very special place in our family because September brings so many emotions for us. It reminds us of how quickly childhood can change when a child hears the words “you have cancer.” The Gold Bow represents the courage, strength, and resilience of kids and families who have been impacted by childhood cancer. For our family, it’s also a reminder of how far Anthony has come and of the hope we carry for every child still fighting.
Talisha: The Gold Bow represents our son, but it also represents every child and family whose lives have been changed by childhood cancer. To me, it represents courage, hope, awareness, and action. It is a reminder of what these children endure and why they deserve more research, better treatments, and a future beyond cancer.
Why is raising awareness about osteosarcoma important to you?
Dori: Raising awareness about osteosarcoma matters to me because I had never even heard of it until December 17, 2020. I didn’t know the signs, what to look for, or how fast it can change a life. Nothing prepares you to watch your 14‑year‑old daughter fight this brutal disease or endure harsh chemo side effects, including end‑stage heart failure. The chemo used is more than 40 years old - and desperately needs research and better, less toxic options. These kids deserve long, full, happy lives. MacKenzie is NED now, but she’s endured more than any child should - and she’s watched friends fight unimaginable battles, including losing their lives. This is why awareness, research, and better treatments matter.
Andrea: Osteosarcoma awareness is deeply personal to me because my family has experienced firsthand how devastating this disease can be. I want to help educate others, support families, raise funds for research, and ultimately help give more children a chance at a cure.
Talisha: Osteosarcoma is rare, and before Cam’s diagnosis, I had no idea what it was. I certainly never imagined my healthy, active 14-year-old would be diagnosed with bone cancer.
That is exactly why awareness matters.
Rare does not mean nonexistent, and when it happens to your child, the statistics become very real. I want more people to know what osteosarcoma is, understand the need for continued research and better treatment options, and recognize that childhood cancer does not end when chemotherapy ends. Survivors can face surgeries, rehabilitation, surveillance scans, and long-term effects for years afterward.
What do you hope people take away when they see your Gold Bow?
Dori: I hope people see our Gold Bow and remember that osteosarcoma and childhood cancer are real - and not nearly as rare as most people think. It can affect any family. These kids deserve long, full, happy lives. When someone sees a Gold Bow, I hope they remember the children who are no longer with us, because they should still be here. And I hope it inspires people to be advocates for change - to raise awareness, support research for kinder treatments, and stand with families who are facing the unimaginable.
Andrea: I hope people see the Gold Bow as a reminder that childhood cancer is real, that families are fighting every day, and that they are not alone. I hope it sparks awareness, compassion, and a desire to help make a difference.
Talisha: I hope they ask what it means.
I hope seeing the Gold Bow starts a conversation about childhood cancer and osteosarcoma. I hope people learn something they didn’t know before, share that information with someone else, support organizations doing this work, and understand that awareness can lead to advocacy, funding, research, and ultimately better outcomes for children.
Most importantly, I hope they remember that behind every Gold Bow is a real child and a real family.
