Tatum is an amazing 10-yr old who has battled cancer twice in her young life. She was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in her right femur in 2006. She endured a year's worth of chemotherapy and three major surgeries before being declared cancer-free in May 2007. She remained cancer-free until November 2008 when the cancer returned, this time in her right lung. Tatum endured another year's worth of chemotherapy along with 25 radiation treatments. She completed her treatments in September 2009 and remains cancer-free to this day.
The Mission of Tatum's Bags of Fun is to make a positive impact on the lives of every child diagnosed with a form of cancer in Indiana by providing them with a Bag of Fun.
- Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15 in the U.S.
- Every day in the United States an average of 46 children are diagnosed with cancer.
- Cancer in childhood occurrs regularly, randonly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconimic class, nor geographic region.
- Through play, a child can safely learn to overcome past traumas and issues and learn better communication and coping skills
- Studies have shown that playing Game Boy while in the hospitalcan reduce anxiety.
- Approximately 1 in 330 young people will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 19.
