When Wren was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at just five years old, her family found support and community through MIB Agents. During treatment, throwing pies became a way to bring Wren joy and laughter, inspiring their family to launch Pie Hard to raise awareness and funds for osteosarcoma research. Now, MIB Agents’ Pie for My Why Giving Tuesday campaign invites the community to join in spreading joy and making a difference for future families. Wren’s parents, Jim and Kyle, share more about their Why and what inspires them to make a difference.
Can you tell us more about Wren’s story and your family’s connection to MIB?
In May 2025, our then five-year-old daughter, Wren, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. While we were still trying to process her diagnosis, we were also faced with making some incredibly difficult decisions about her surgical options.
The MIB Factor Conference happened to be taking place around that same time, and it couldn’t have come at a better moment for our family. The conference gave us access to invaluable information, resources, and people who helped us better understand Wren’s options and make a more informed decision about her surgery.
It was also our introduction to the incredible MIB community. We met so many wonderful people, and the support, knowledge, and connections we’ve gained have meant so much to our family. We’re incredibly grateful to be part of this community and love finding ways to stay involved.
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What inspired your family to start Pie Hard?
During Wren’s treatment, she had to do so many hard things. From port accesses to NG tubes and everything in between, we were constantly trying to find ways to lift her spirits. We tried incentivizing her with candy, toys, and little rewards, but eventually those things just lost their appeal.
Then one day, Wren decided she wanted to throw a pie in someone’s face. And it worked! It brought her (and our family) so much joy and laughter during a time when she really needed it.
We started throwing pies with family and friends, and it quickly became something Wren loved. That inspired us to take the idea a little further, and in September, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we launched Pie Hard.
What started as a silly family activity grew into something much bigger than we ever expected. It was such a fun way to get people involved and raise awareness and funds for osteosarcoma research.
What has Pie Hard meant to your community and your family?
It’s been a way to show that even when life is unimaginably difficult, there are still opportunities to find joy, create laughter, and share that happiness with others.
It’s also been amazing to see how many people have embraced it. Friends, family, neighbors, and even people we hardly know have joined in and thrown pies to support the cause.
Knowing that so many people are willing to show up for Wren and other kids facing osteosarcoma means more to us than we can put into words. It’s a wonderful reminder that we’re not going through this alone.
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What has it been like to see your community come together around a cause that means so much to your family?
It’s been overwhelming in the best possible way.
When your child is diagnosed with cancer, you experience a kind of fear and helplessness that’s difficult to put into words. And while no one can take that experience away, having people show up for you makes an enormous difference.
We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing community supporting Wren and our family throughout her treatment. But seeing that same community, along with people we’ve never even met, rally around Pie Hard, not just to support Wren but to help other children facing osteosarcoma, has been especially meaningful.
We never imagined that something as simple as throwing pies could bring so many people together for such an important cause.
What keeps you motivated to continue advocating for the osteosarcoma community?
Wren. And every other child and family who has had to face this disease.
Because osteosarcoma is so rare it doesn’t receive the same attention, funding, or resources as more common cancers. And while medicine has advanced tremendously in so many areas, children diagnosed with osteosarcoma are still receiving essentially the same treatments that were used decades ago.
These kids deserve better.
If we can use our experience to raise awareness, support research, and help create better outcomes for even one child, then it’s worth every bit of effort.
What advice would you give another family affected by osteosarcoma who wants to make a difference?
You don’t have to organize a huge fundraiser or come up with an elaborate campaign to make a difference. Sometimes the simplest ideas can have the biggest impact.
For us, it was throwing pies in people’s faces! It was silly, easy for people to participate in, and something Wren could genuinely enjoy.
What are you most looking forward to about seeing the MIB community join in through Pie for My Why this Giving Tuesday?
I’m most excited to see more people rally behind this cause and help bring greater awareness to osteosarcoma. The more people we can reach, the more attention we can bring to a disease that desperately needs it.
And of course, there’s the joy and laughter! It’s almost impossible not to laugh when you see someone get a pie thrown in their face. Have you ever been pied? If not, I highly recommend it. Everyone should experience it at least once!
Is there anything else you would like to share with our community?
If there’s one thing this experience has taught us, it’s that joy and hardship can exist at the same time.
Our family has experienced some incredibly difficult moments over the past year and a half, but we’ve also experienced more love, kindness, generosity, and support than we ever could have imagined.
We’re so grateful to MIB Agents and the entire osteosarcoma community for everything they do to support these kids and their families.
In addition to all of these efforts, West and Jim Huffman have written a children's book inspired by all the momentum and engagement around Pie Hard and Pie for My Why.
"It's for kids who have to do hard things, like going through treatment or facing things they don't want to do. With playful rhymes and illustrations, the message is simple: when things get tough, a little laughter (and a little whipped cream) can go a long way."
The book will be available on Amazon in 1-2 weeks!
MIB Agents invites you to join Pie for my Why this Giving Tuesday! Whether you’re throwing a pie, volunteering as a Pie-ticipant, or making a donation, every contribution helps raise awareness and support osteosarcoma research. Together, we can spread joy, make a difference, and help create a better future for children facing osteosarcoma. Join Pie for My Why and help us reach our $30,000 goal!
