Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation Announces New Appointment

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation announces the appointment of Tinley Park resident Tamara Girten as a Board member. Tammy is a retired Illinois State Police Master Sergeant. A large part of Tammy’s career involved advocating for children. Tammy has also served on the All our Children’s Advocacy Center Board and is an Auxiliary Member of the American Legion Post 991.

Tammy Girten’s connection to the Treasure Chest Foundation dates back to 2019 when she first started volunteering. Since 2019 Tammy has delivered thousands of toys to Chicagoland Children Cancer Treatment Centers served by the Treasure Chest Foundation along with countless hours of volunteering at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park facility.

Colleen Kisel, CEO and Founder of the Treasure Chest Foundation, said, “We are excited to welcome Tammy Girten to the Board of Directors of the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation. Tammy’s passion for the kids we serve will be an asset to our Board. We look forward to her new and fresh ideas as we continue to grow the Foundation.”

In accepting the new role, Tammy said, “I am honored to be voted to the board of the Treasure Chest Foundation and to accept this responsibility. The majority of my career involved being an advocate for children. I want to make a positive difference and I will continue to be a dedicated volunteer also.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 15,300 young cancer patients in 64 cancer treatment centers in 21 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 29th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of this year.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 1-708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.