Stories of progress, inspiration, and information in overcoming osteosarcoma.

3 Ways to Support Osteosarcoma Research Through Planned Giving

From college funds to land sales, learn how people are making transformational gifts to further osteosarcoma research.

Making a donation to The Osteosarcoma Institute (OSI) doesn’t have to be a one-time or recurring event. With planned giving, you can think about your contribution differently.

Planned giving is a way to give money through a will, estate plan, or other method, creating a lasting impact on the organization and beyond.

Planned gifts can come in many forms from people at different stages of life. “With planned gifts, it is not just about what happens to our finances after we pass,” says Emily Allbright, principal consultant at Allbright Consulting and member of OSI’s development committee. “Planned gifts can be given when individuals are living as well.”

Here are a few ways that you can set up a planned gift for OSI.

1. Gifts in Memory of Loved Ones

When a family member with osteosarcoma passes away, loved ones can make a planned gift of the money that had been intended for them.

For example, a young woman passed away before completing college, and her family donated the balance of her college education fund to OSI.

“We also have savings accounts families have set up for their child, and those have been gifted,” Allbright says.

2. Gifts of Property

Planned giving may take the form of funds in savings, investment, or college funding accounts. But people can also make planned gifts of non-cash items or proceeds from selling those items.

One couple with a great love for dogs is planning to sell land that they own in Nevada, and a portion of the proceeds will go to OSI, earmarked for canine osteosarcoma research. “They want to see it happen in their lifetime,” Allbright says.

Osteosarcoma in dogs shares a lot of similarities with osteosarcoma in humans, and it is much more common in dogs. So, by evaluating how novel treatments work in dogs, we can expand care options for humans.

In addition to real estate, people may also make planned gifts of items such as silver, art, jewelry, fine china, mineral rights, wine collections, or anything else that has cash value. When a donor bequeaths non-cash gifts to the organization, OSI can arrange for items like these to be sold, with the proceeds going to the important mission.

“With planned gifts, it is not just about what happens to our finances after we pass." —Emily Allbright

3. Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation

Often, people get life insurance through their employers. People in their early 20s, who might be just starting their first job out of college, may be able to get a life insurance policy of 1.5 times their salary for just $6 to $12 a month. As part of this policy, they can designate OSI as a secondary or contingent beneficiary.

“Siblings of people who went through osteosarcoma saw the impact on their families,” Allbright says. “This is a way for them to honor the sibling who went through the horrific challenges and battles of osteosarcoma.”

Employer-sponsored retirement and other individual investment accounts, like 401(k)s and IRAs, can be used as planned gifts in a similar way.

Next Step: Create Your Legacy

With planned giving, you have the opportunity to make a significant gift to OSI. That gift can support research and clinical trials that aim to increase treatment options and improve survival rates in people who have osteosarcoma. “It can be a transformational gift that has a lasting impact on the organization,” Allbright says.

Thinking about your legacy, including how you want to be remembered, what values you want carried on, and where you want your assets to go, can feel overwhelming. The Share Your Love Family Discussion Guide can help. You can fill it out online or print a copy and share your thoughts and decisions with your loved ones.

Learn more about making a planned gift to OSI.