Channahon Family Honors Son’s Memory and Benefits Children with Cancer

A Channahon Family is honoring their son's memory by making a difference for other children fighting cancer. The Degnan family lost their 9-year-old son Austin who succumbed to his three-year battle with Osteosarcoma on October 4, 2021. Austin was treated at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

In honor of Austin Degnan’s 10th birthday on July 26, 2012, his mom Carrie decided to ask her loved ones to drop off or ship toys, gift cards and teen items to her home in Channahon. The items would be donated to support the Treasure Chest Foundation, the organization that helped Austin during his cancer treatment. During the month of July, the “Austin’s Army Annual Toy Drive” collected a truckload of toys and teen items along with $90 in gift cards for kids just like Austin fighting cancer.

Carrie Degnan Austin’s mom said, “The Treasure Chest was one of my son’s highlights during his hospital visits and stays. I want to be able to give back to those still fighting in memory of Austin’s birthday. This is a wonderful way to remember Austin and celebrate him. The Treasure Chest Foundation is an amazing group!”

POTCF Founder and CEO Colleen Kisel said, “We are blessed to have the support of the Degnan family and friends. We do not have words to fully express just how sorry we are about what happened to young Austin but grateful to have the Degnan family and friend's support.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 15,700 young cancer patients in 65 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.