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.

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 seven of our Treasure Chests, with the first six becoming instant hits in Toledo, Ohio, Columbia, Missouri, Nashville, Tennessee, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Cleveland Ohio and Johnson City, Tennessee.

For her latest masterpiece, Jackie skillfully painted a Treasure Chest to match the aquatic theme of the Miami Cancer Institute, Radiation Therapy in Miami, Florida. Although the Miami Cancer Institute, Radiation Therapy Treasure Chest Program is one of the smaller ones in terms of the number of children and teens served (Child Life Specialist, Barbara Nunez, says the facility treats an average of 10 childhood cancer patients monthly), no child faced with a battle against cancer should be overlooked. Whether a Program serves one or one thousand patients per month, it is our mission to eventually support ALL brave young cancer patients across the nation. Our 62nd Treasure Chest Program will open in January and sponsored by Treasure Chest Board Member Herb Walker and wife Janice will open in January.

“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 14,600 young cancer patients in 61cancer treatment centers in 20 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 27th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2020.

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.