Mokena Resident Hosts Toy Drive in Memory of Niece and Friend

Mokena resident Mike Doria hosted a creative holiday toy drive Christmas party with the goal of helping children and teens fighting cancer in memory of his niece Kendra and friend Becky Casa. Kendra battled cancer for over ten years of her young life. Mike asked attendees to bring a new toy to his party with the goal of helping children battling cancer. After the last toy was dropped off more than 50 toys was donated and delivered to the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation warehouse in Orland Park. Mike wanted to do something in memory of his niece and friend. Mike has been donating toys in Kendra’s name for more than 18 years.

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 61cancer 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 27th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2020.

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.