100+ Women Who Care in Southern Will County Donate

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) of Orland Park was overjoyed recently to receive an enormous donation of $3,000 from the 100+ Women Who Care in Southern Will County. The donation will directly benefit children and teens fighting cancer.

Tinley Park resident Lorri Nagle founded the 100+ Women Who Care in Southern Will County Chapter. 100+ Women Who Care in Southern Will County make an immediate and positive impact on the lives of their neighbors. The chapter is a group of local women who are interested in supporting their communities by contributing to local charities together as a group.

100+ Women Who Care member Chris Pajeau said, “The Treasure Chest Foundation is a life line for children and their parents going through what must be the most difficult situation and time in life.” I thought I knew what the Treasure Chest did until I saw precious children walking down the halls at the University of Virginia Hospital so anxious to get their toy for being brave. It was one of the most heart-warming experiences in my life and I will never forget it.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, “We feel so blessed and honored to have the support of the 100+ Women Who Care of Southern Will County Chapter. Their donation will help support thousands of children and teens who endure years and years of unending cancer treatments by rewarding the children with a toy, gift or gift card after every procedure.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,000 young cancer patients enduring 20,000 clinic visits each month in 19 states across the nation. 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 25th 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.

Photo caption (pictured l-r):

100+ Women Who Care in Southern Will County members Heather Holtz, Founder Lorri Nagle, Chris Pajeau, Kelly Angel-Galmines and Misty Totzke present the $3,000 donation while visiting the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park facility.