Orland Park Man Builds Treasure Chest to Help Children

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation received a large treasure chest thanks to the tireless work of Orland Park man Mike Casper.

When asked about his motivation for the project, Mike said, “My sister Meghan asked me to build a treasure chest and I was so happy to say yes. I didn’t think twice about it after seeing everything that my nephew Jacob went through while battling cancer. I wanted to do this for the children.” Mike’s sister Meghan had this to say, “I saw the post on Facebook regarding a request for someone to build a treasure chest. I asked my brother because I knew this was something he could do. I gave Mike the money to shop for the materials and he donated his time and over 14 hours of labor for this great cause.”

Some of you will remember Jacob Abraham, Mike’s nephew and Meghan’s son. Jacob, a little guy whose treatment for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma (cancer) did not go well and Jacob succumbed to the disease on August 19, 2016. Jacob would have been eight years old this October.

The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to Mike Casper for his tremendous donation. Because of his hard work and generosity, Mike’s Treasure Chest is scheduled to debut sometime this year.” said Colleen Kisel, Founder.

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 62 cancer 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 28th anniversary of remission from the disease earlier this month.

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 website at www.treasurechest.org.