Christmas Comes Early for Children and Teens Fighting Cancer

Dyer Presbyterian Church in Dyer, IN celebrated the gift of giving during their 5th annual Christmas in July toy drive to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). Parishioners collected hundreds of toys, $60.00 and $50.00 in gift cards to help children and teens fighting cancer. The Orland Park-based non-profit organization provides comfort and distraction from painful treatments to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy or gift card in 52 hospitals across 19 states nationwide.

Dyer Presbyterian Church parishioner Alan Brooks said, AThe Treasure Chest Foundation is such a good cause to donate to and we would do anything we can to help kids fighting cancer. We put together a toy drive and collected over 200 items of toys and gifts for teens. It was a great success.@

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, AWe are extremely grateful to the Dyer Presbyterian Church parishioners for their support. Their tremendous support will help brave children and teens battling cancer.@

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 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.