Cancer Patients Treasure Jackie Bobbitt’s Artistic Skills

Tinley Park resident Jackie Bobbitt is supporting children fighting cancer by donating her impressive artistic skills to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF), an Orland Park-based, non-profit organization that fills Treasure Chests with toys and gift cards for children and teens diagnosed with cancer nationwide.

The origin of Jackie’s involvement with the Treasure Chest Foundation can be traced back to 2016, when she first learned about the Foundation’s mission of providing toys and gifts to young cancer patients while serving as the Executive Director of the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce. In 2017 Jackie began applying her time and talent to paint the Treasure Chests located at each of the Children’s Cancer Treatment Centers served by the POTCF.

Before tackling each request for a newly painted Treasure Chest, Jackie typically reaches out to the representatives at each Treatment Center and then paints the Treasure Chest to match that hospital’s existing theme and paint scheme. “I am happy to donate the time and supplies,” says Jackie. “It's my way of supporting the Treasure Chest Foundation. I love what they are doing, and I am happy to help. I look forward to painting and decorating many more Treasure Chests in the future.”

Thus far, Jackie has painted six of our Treasure Chests, with the first five becoming instant hits in Toledo, Ohio, Columbia, Missouri, Nashville, Tennessee, Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Cleveland Ohio.

For her latest masterpiece, Jackie skillfully painted a Treasure Chest to match the woodsy outdoor theme of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Our 58th Treasure Chest Program will open in memory of Tyler Duelm.

“The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to Jackie Bobbitt for her tremendous donation of time, talent and artistic skill,” said POTCF CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel. “Because of her hard work and generosity, The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota will receive one new, beautifully painted Treasure Chest on October 3rd, 2019. That location serves more than 480 children and teens fighting cancer weekly and will become our 58th Treasure Chest Program serving young cancer patients throughout the nation.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,300 young cancer patients enduring 20,000 clinic visits each month in 20 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 26th 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.

Pictured: Jackie Bobbitt of Tinley Park proudly displays the newly painted, woodsy outdoor themed Treasure Chest at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park warehouse. This Treasure Chest is headed to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and will soon be filled with toys and gifts for young cancer patients.