Palos Park Sisters Donate Toys to Children Fighting Cancer

Palos Park sisters Maya (age 12), Mariam (age 14) and Natalie Abusharif (age 11) are giving to children fighting cancer. Maya, Mariam and Natalie decided to use their allowance money to purchase toys for children battling cancer. When the shopping spree was over, the sisters purchased over $200 worth of toys to donate to the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.

“Because we want to help the kids” said Natalie, “We want to help kids with cancer, to make them happy give them something to play with while sitting in the hospital.”

“Donating these toys with their allowance money is such a generous gesture. They are a true inspiration.” said Colleen Kisel, Founder and CEO of the Treasure Chest Foundation.

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 12,500 young cancer patients enduring 20,000 clinic visits each month in 18 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 24th 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.

Photo caption:

Pictured: (left to right) Maya (age 12) proudly smiles while sisters Mariam (age 14) and Natalie (age 11) display the donated toys at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park warehouse. The toys will bring smiles of joy to thousands of children and teens battling cancer across the nation.