Bags of Fun | Tatum Parker Project | Indianapolis, Indiana

Bags of Fun

Delivering special Bags of Fun filled with toys, handheld electronics, games, and activities to Indiana pediatric cancer patients.

HISTORY

Gabby Krause was an amazing six-year-old who lost her battle with brain cancer in 2004. She wished every child fighting cancer could have his or her very own bag filled with fun toys and activities. In her memory, Bags of Fun® was formed.

When Tatum was first diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in 2006, she received a very special gift from the Gabby Krause Foundation – a Bag of Fun.

The Bag of Fun contained toys, games, and activities that helped keep her smiling through numerous treatments and surgeries. And it helped Tatum feel like a kid again instead of a patient.

Tatum’s parents, Jayson and Kendra, were overwhelmed by this gift and the happiness it brought their daughter. In fact, it made such an impact that they started talking about started their own Bags of Fun program.

After Tatum completed her final treatments, the Parkers reached out to the Krause family, who live in Colorado, to discuss how to bring Bags of Fun to Indiana. And since August 2008, the Tatum Parker Project has put together and delivered nearly 3,000 Bags of Fun to kids throughout the Hoosier State.

Bags of Fun aren’t just for kids

The main goal of each Bag of Fun is to give pediatric cancer patients the chance to feel like a kid again. Bags of Fun can provide a good distraction from the pain and discomfort of treatments. But the happiness the patients get from opening a bag often transfers to the families – it just feels good to see your child smile.

What’s in a Bag of Fun?

It depends on who’s receiving it! Every Bag of Fun includes a Kindle Fire, but the rest of the contents might include board and card games, crafts, puzzles, coloring books, and other activities kids can do from a hospital bed.

How are items chosen for the Bags of Fun?

We get a couple of details from the hospital about each patient – the child’s age and gender. From there, we specifically choose items we think the child will have the most fun with! Over the years, Tatum’s mom, Kendra, has become an expert in selecting just the right contents.

How much does it cost to put together a Bag of Fun?

Each Bag of Fun costs about $350. That includes the cost of the bag itself, which the patient also gets to keep, and a special nametag!

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