Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation was founded in 1992 by Kathleen A. Casey in memory of her eight-year-old son, Barrett “Bear” Krupa, who died after a courageous five-and-a-half year fight with Wilms Tumor. During Bear’s long stay in the hospital, he often said he wanted to help other kids like him. He would share his french fries with fellow pediatric cancer patients and invite his friends in the hospital to play video games with him.

Touched by her son’s kindness, Kathleen and Bear discussed how they could help even more children like Bear. They understood that patients and their family members need support above and beyond standard medical care. During these special conversations, the idea of Bear Necessities was born.

Bear’s spirit of love, generosity, and compassion for others, even as he battled his own disease, is at the center of all everything we do. His legacy continues to guide our work today.

Since 1992, we have provided dream gifts and experiences for pediatric cancer patients, offered financial support to their families, and invested in cutting-edge research to end pediatric cancer for all.

In 2022, we expanded our services to include free access to counseling for patients and their families, as well as scholarships for post-secondary education. Since our founding, Bear Necessities has touched the lives of more than 8,000 children and their families in their fight to overcome pediatric cancer. We have invested more than $1,000,000 in pediatric cancer research.