Hillcrest High School Holiday Drive to Benefit Teens with Cancer

The students and staff at Hillcrest High School in Hazelcrest had fun for a worthy cause recently when their school hosted a school wide holiday teen drive for the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF).

Hill Crest High School National Honor Society asked students to bring in new items and gift cards to donate to teens fighting cancer. By the time the last donation came in they had collected more than 100 items and $270 in gift cards for teens. Danielle Jensen said, “I was looking for a project for my National Honor Society Organization. I’m passionate about encouraging people to help teens fighting cancer. I chose the Treasure Chest Foundation because I’m a huge fan of their work and their mission.”

Hillcrest High School is a public four year high school located in Country Club Hills whose vision is to create a school that partners with the community, constantly striving to improve upon success. Hillcrest’s motto is soaring with unity, pride, and excellence.

POTCF Founder and CEO Colleen Kisel said, “We are delighted by the support of the Hillcrest High School, students, and Administrators who generously donated to this holiday teen drive.” Ms. Kisel said, “Their generosity will enable our Foundation to continue supporting thousands of children and teens each month at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital and other cancer treatment centers across the country in 2016.”

The not-for-profit Treasure Chest Foundation now supports more than 9,300 children and teens each month who are diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy or gift card in 49 hospitals nationwide. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. CEO Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Colleen discovered that giving her son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain. Martin celebrated his 22nd anniversary of remission from the disease in 2015.

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.