Durbins of Evergreen Park Cares for Kids Fighting Cancer

Durbins of Evergreen Park is giving to children and teens fighting cancer. The restaurant and bar sponsored a Durbins Cares event on Saturday, October11th, which included free pizza, garlic bread, mostaccioli, entertainment compliments of Martin and Tony Acoustics, two gift card wheels, a split-the-pot raffle and 26 raffle baskets that raised more than $3,000 for the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF).

Established in 1987 by the McAuliffe family, Durbins is a family-run restaurant and bar and was voted as having Chicagoland’s Best Pizza. Durbins Manager Nancy Meyer said, “My daughter Jennifer was diagnosed with cancer at the age of one and every year I lose a different friend to cancer. When cancer hits someone really close, you want to get involved with organizations like the Treasure Chest Foundation that help kids with cancer.”

Village of Evergreen Park Building Inspector and volunteer Jim Finn said, “I want to thank all of the individuals and business owners of Evergreen Park and Oak Lawn for their generosity to this great cause.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 9,000 young cancer patients each month in 48 hospitals across 17 states. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Ms. Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. She 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 21st anniversary of remission from the disease earlier this year.

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