Community Corner
Christmas Comes Early for Children and Teens Fighting Cancer
Christmas Comes Early for Children and Teens Fighting Cancer
Dyer Presbyterian Church in Dyer, IN 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 and $250 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 65 hospitals across 21 states nationwide. During the past eight years, the Christmas Comes Early event has raised thousands of toys, and teen items, $600 and $75 in gift cards.
Dyer Presbyterian Church parishioner Alan Brooks said, "This is our congregation's favorite thing to do. We have had members deal with cancer and when it comes to children it touches all of our hearts."
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 support will help brave children and teens battling cancer. "
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The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 15,700 young cancer patients in 65 cancer treatment centers in 21 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 29th 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 1-708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.
