Seasonal & Holidays
Christmas Comes Early for Children and Teens Fighting Cancer
Christmas Comes Early for Children and Teens Fighting Cancer
Dyer Presbyterian Church in Dyer, Indiana celebrated the gift of giving during their eighth annual Christmas in July toy drive to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). Parishioners collected toys, gifts and $85 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 62 hospitals across 20 states nationwide. During the past seven years, the Christmas in July event has raised 100’s of toys and gift cards.
Dyer Presbyterian Church Parishioner Pam Young volunteered for the third time to hand-deliver the donation of gifts. Pam said, "The church feels it’s an honor to help with this wonderful cause."
Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, "We are extremely grateful to the Dyer Presbyterian Church parishioners for their continued support. Their tremendous gifts will help brave children and teens battling cancer."
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The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 62 cancer 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 28th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 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 website at www.treasurechest.org.
