INDIANAPOLIS — Tatum Parker, age 18, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been named a 2019 honoree by the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. Each year, the Barron Prize celebrates 25 inspiring, public-spirited young people – some named as winners and some named as honorees – who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. This year’s ten Barron Prize honorees are an outstanding group of young leaders chosen from nearly four hundred applicants across the U.S. and Canada.
Tatum founded her non-profit Tatum Parker Project www.tatumparkerproject.org to make a positive impact on the lives of pediatric cancer patients. She has delivered a backpack filled with $350 worth of activities, craft kits, and games to every child diagnosed with cancer in Indiana — nearly 4,000 bags so far. She has also raised more than $50,000 to fund pediatric cancer research.
Tatum has fought and beaten pediatric cancer twice. Soon after her first diagnosis at age 6, she received a huge purple backpack filled with items to bring her joy and keep her busy. Convinced that all kids with cancer should be given the same, she asked her parents to help her create Tatum’s Bags of Fun. When she was re-diagnosed with cancer a year later, her determination to continue gifting the backpacks provided strength and motivation to fight the disease again. “I don’t know what my future holds, but I do know I’ll never stop spreading my message of hope, love, and positivity to kids with cancer,” says Tatum. “I’ll continue to leave my small mark on this great big world.”
For more information, please visit www.barronprize.org
