Former Board of Director John Waiting Delivers Smiles to Kids

Former Board of Director and Tinley Park resident John Waiting believes in supporting children and teens fighting cancer. John delivered more than 181 lbs. of toys to Central DuPage Hospital and Central DuPage Diagnostic Imaging to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation. This is an enormous donation as the cost of shipping has skyrocketed over the years.

John Waiting said, “The pandemic is affecting all of our lives and putting life on hold. However, the Treasure Chest Foundation is still needed as cancer continues to affect the children. The Foundation helps with the kid’s emotional wellness. I am happy to help the children and their families.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, “John has served on the board for five consecutive years. He rarely missed a board meeting or a committee meeting. Each year, he gave gifts and volunteered to Chair two annual fundraisers. John continues to give of himself long after his role as a board member ended.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,000 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 27th 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.

Photo caption: John Waiting loads his van at the Foundation’s Orland Park warehouse and prepares to deliver more than 181 pounds of toys. Since the Treasure Chest Foundation has resumed shipping operations suspended by the corona virus outbreak, as of June 12, 2020 the Treasure Chest Foundation has shipped 1,925 lbs. of toys along with $3,990 in gift cards nationwide for the children and teens we serve.