Fort Wayne Family’s Generosity Gives Back to the Treasure Chest

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation recently received a donation of more than 535 toys thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of a courageous Fort Wayne family whose son had benefitted from services provided by the Foundation.

In 2009, Ryan Branscome was diagnosed with (ALL) acute lymphocytic leukemia one month short of his third birthday. On that day, the oncology nurses at Lutheran Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne, IN brought young Ryan several toys from the Treasure Chest as part of the Foundation’s ongoing program to provide comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer.

Mrs. Branscome said, “Every year at this time we always talk about how grateful we were to have the Treasure Chest Foundation in our lives during Ryan's 3 ½ years of treatment. While we feel it is important to continue with cancer research and donations in many other ways, we never want to forget how much a toy and smile helped us all get through those tough times.”

Ryan is now 13 years old, growing nonstop and dealing with some minor long-term effects from chemo. Mrs. Branscome noted how the anticipation of receiving a toy had helped Ryan endure countless painful treatments, and it was with gratitude for those moments that the Branscome’s recently hosted their tenth annual family and friends toy drive to benefit the children and teens undergoing treatment for cancer at Lutheran Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne, IN.

The attendees were asked to bring a new toy or gift for the children and teens currently undergoing treatment at Lutheran Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne IN. Essentially all the people who supported Ryan and his family during his cancer treatment—were on hand for the momentous occasion.

When asked what motivated such a successful event to benefit the Treasure Chest Foundation Mrs. Branscome replied, “Our motivation is to keep this great organization going! We think it is important to give back to the community and show our children ways to do that. We are already brainstorming ideas for next year to get things kick started faster and to get more involvement.”

POTCF Founder and CEO Colleen Kisel said, “We feel so blessed to have the support of the Branscome family and all of their friends. Today the Branscome family has given back to the Treasure Chest Foundation, and for that we are extremely grateful.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,000 young cancer patients in 59 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 26th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2019.

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.