Joliet Girl Serves as Honorary Chair during Seventh Annual Treasuring Our Kids Fundraiser

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation recently hosted its Seventh Annual "Decades of Success" Fundraiser. The nearly 250 people gathered at Gaelic Park in Oak Forest on April 2nd witnessed a remarkable evening that included a delicious buffet dinner and musical entertainment along with chances to win exciting prizes through silent and live auctions and raffles. The final tally shows the Decades of Success event raised more than $31,000 to benefit childhood cancer patients.

The Honorary Chairperson for the Seventh Annual Treasuring Our Kids event was nine-year-old Joliet resident Mya Tinajero. When Mya was diagnosed at age four with Neuroblastoma, she embarked on a five-year long treatment of chemotherapy and numerous painful procedures. Part of that coping ability came from Mya’s visits to select a toy from the treasure chest after each visit.

Antonio Tinajero, father of the Decades of Success Honorary Chairperson Mya Tinajero, delivered a touching speech which provided a unique glimpse into the hardships faced by a family dealing with a young child’s cancer diagnosis.

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 9,300 young cancer patients each month. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Ms. Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. She 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 23rd anniversary of remission from the disease earlier this year.

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.