Girl’s Bake Sale Brings Sweet Relief to Children Fighting Cancer

Young sisters Frankie Gabey (age 11), Annie Gabey (age 9) and their friend Allison Pearson (age 9) of Frankfort are giving to children fighting cancer. The girls recently held a bake sale of assorted homemade delicious cookies in downtown Frankfort to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation. When the last cookie was sold the young girls raise over $50.00 and purchased toys for the Treasure Chest Foundation, an Orland Park-based, non-profit organization that provides comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing toys and gift cards in 57 hospitals nationwide.

The girls wanted to do something to help kids fighting cancer. They liked the idea of a baking cookies in hopes of selling as many cookies as possible to raise enough money to shop for toys. Annie Gabey said, “We have a lot and we think kids fighting cancer should too!” Allison Pearson chimed in, “The kids fighting cancer have been through a lot. We’ve been home and they are in the hospital. Maybe the toys can help.”

“The POTCF is especially grateful to Annie, Allison and Frankie for their generous donation of toys,” said Colleen Kisel, Founder and CEO of the Treasure Chest Foundation. “There are so many kids impacted by childhood cancer today. Just look at what these young girls can do.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,300 young cancer patients in 57 cancer treatment centers 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 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.

Photo caption: Children battling cancer will benefit from the success of the girl’s bake sale. Pictured (l-r) Annie Gabey (age 9) Allison Pearson (age 9) and Frankie Gabey (age 11), present their donation of toys while visiting the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park facility.