Romeoville Residents Organize Toy Drive to Help Children with Cancer

Romeoville residents Joan and Clifford McGregor recently hosted a creative toy drive in their Hampton Park subdivision with the goal of helping children and teens fighting cancer. After the last toy had been picked up, a truckload of gifts to be distributed to children fighting cancer was delivered to the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) warehouse in Orland Park. The POTCF is a non-profit organization that provides comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy, gift or gift card in 49 cancer treatment centers across 17 states nationwide.

Mr. and Mrs. McGregor passed out 1500 flyers asking their neighbors to leave a new toy on their front porch, with a promise to pick up the toys one week later. 11 year-old Emily McGregor said, “I love helping kids and I hope they find a cure for cancer.” Clifford chimed in by saying, “I’m going to keep doing this until I can’t walk anymore.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel extended her most sincere gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. McGregor for their efforts in organizing such an innovative and interesting toy drive. “What a great idea they had, asking residents to leave a new toy on their front porch. No one had to drive anywhere. The residents were extremely generous and probably happy to have their donations picked up. And we are certainly grateful to be able to distribute such an impressive number of toys to the brave children and teens battling cancer.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 9,300 young cancer patients each month in 49 hospitals across 17 states. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Ms. Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. She 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 22nd anniversary of remission from the disease in 2015.

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.