Palos-Orland Swim Association Take the Plunge for Kids

Members of the Palos-Orland Swim Association (P.O.S.A.) are used to swimming laps, so it came as no surprise when they managed to take the plunge on behalf of the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). Members of the team recently hosted a Christmas party at Sandburg High School that accumulated a vanload of toys.

The Palos-Orland Swim Association’s mission is to offer an environment where the athletes can excel to the best of their abilities in competitive age group swimming, while developing the traits of integrity, sportsmanship and teamwork. The team is open to all youth aged five through 18. The coaches are professional, educated and experienced in competitive swimming.

Treasure Chest Foundation Founder and CEO Colleen Kisel was on hand to accept the impressive toy donation and described the enormous impact the toy drive will have for the organization. The Treasure Chest Foundation and I want the kids to know what a tremendous impact their toy donations will have on the children fighting cancer. Their compassion and generosity will help put smiles on the faces of children and teens each month who are struggling with the adversity of battling childhood cancer.@

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.

Photo caption:

Palos-Orland Swim Association member Brenda Juarez displays some of the toys collected from the recent Christmas party at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park facility.