Community Corner
Oak Forest Teens Help Teens Fighting Cancer
Becky Conte from the Acorn Public Library in Oak Forest displays the donated gifts and gift cards at the Treasure Chest Foundation.
Oak Forest Teen Activity Group from Acorn Public Library are giving back to teens fighting cancer. The teen group collected toys and gift cards all with the aim of benefiting the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF), a non-profit organization that provide toys, gifts and gift cards to children and teens diagnosed with cancer nationwide.
This is the 4th annual drive sponsored by Teen Activity Group (T.A.G.) from Oak Forest along with Becky Conte from the Acorn Public Library who oversees the toy drive. Becky says, “I asked the teens to try and walk in the shoes of a teen fighting cancer.” After a month of collecting, the teens brought in toys, teen gifts and $255 in gift cards.
“The support of the local community means a lot and we are extremely grateful for this generous donation. It was very honorable of The Teen Activity Group to help teens who are battling cancer.” said Colleen Kisel, Founder and CEO of the Treasure Chest Foundation. “Because of this huge display of generosity, the program continues to support children and teens fighting cancer monthly in our nation.”
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The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,300 young cancer patients enduring 20,000 clinic visits each month 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 25th anniversary of remission from the disease in March.
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.
