A Birthday Surprise Brings Gifts to Kids with Cancer

Chicago resident Colleen Carroll decided to honor her milestone 55th birthday occasion in a special way, but how? Colleen Carroll decided to ask her guests in lieu of birthday gifts to bring a donation to support the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) and children and teens battling cancer.

Colleen’s party took place at Cork & Kerry, an Irish Pub located in Chicago with live music from Robert James & The Big Citi Band along with food from Calabria on Wheels, a Chicago Food Truck. The party was attended by nearly 120 enthusiastic well-wishers. When the party was over Colleen Carroll collected

$570, $155 in gift cards and 100’s toys and gifts for children and teens fighting cancer. When asked about her motivation to support the Treasure Chest Foundation Colleen said, “The celebration was two-fold. To gather friends together and enjoy each other’s company and to help the Treasure Chest Foundation keep doing all the good things they do. I am truly blessed to have great family and friends.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of support from the party guests. “Colleen’s idea to combine her birthday party with a toy and gift drive to benefit our Foundation was fantastic,” said Ms. Kisel. “I can’t thank everyone enough for their amazing generosity which will provide toys and joy to hundreds of courageous young cancer patients across the nation.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,100 young cancer patients in 53 cancer treatment centers 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 in March.

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.