Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center and Water Aerobics Help Kids

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation recently received a donation of toys and gift cards thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of the Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center and the Crestwood Water Aerobics family. The fitness, recreation and aquatics facility hosted a holiday toy and gift card drive to benefit children and teens with cancer. After the last toy was hoisted into the collection box, the Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center donated $1,157 in gift cards and toys to directly benefit kids fighting cancer.

Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center was established in December of 2000 and has programs for fitness, recreation, aquatics and fun for all ages. Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center member and Treasure Chest Foundation weekly volunteer Liz Pritchard said, “It is our pleasure to support the Treasure Chest Foundation. No kid should ever have cancer.”

The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to the Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center for their donation of gift cards and toys. Ms. Kisel, CEO and Founder of the Treasure Chest Foundation said, “A special thanks to the Crestwood Recreation and Wellness Center and the Crestwood Water Aerobics family along with their friends’ generosity. The toys and gift cards will benefit the young cancer patients we serve.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 16,100 young cancer patients in 66 cancer treatment centers in 21 states across the nation and in the District of Columbia. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Ms. Kisel discovered that giving her son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain, noting that when children are diagnosed with cancer their world soon becomes filled with doctors, nurses, chemotherapy drugs, surgeries and seemingly endless painful procedures. Martin celebrated his 29th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of this year.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 1-708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.