Student Nursing Association and Student Nurses Call the Shots

The Student Nursing Association (SNA) and student nurses at Lewis University in Romeoville are calling all the shots for children and teens fighting cancer. The SNA and student nurses at Lewis University hosted a spring toy and gift card drive to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF).

Lewis’ Student Nursing Association is open to all nursing students. The association regularly hosts community public health initiatives, such as blood drives. SNA also participates in conventions and organizations for professional networking opportunities. That is exactly what the members of the Student Nursing Association did when the recently hosted a spring toy and gift card drive collecting $65 in gift cards, more than 200 toys and volunteered to label and categorize the toys to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). The toys and gift cards will comfort children fighting cancer across the nation.

Student Nursing Association member Courtney Carter said, “I’ve been coming to the Treasure Chest Foundation for years with my brother Austin. We love helping the Treasure Chest Foundation provide smiles to kids with cancer.” Ms. Kisel, Founder of the Treasure Chest Foundation said, “The POTCF is especially grateful to Lewis University Student Nursing Association members for their enormous donation of toys and gift cards. We are blessed to have the support of the Romeoville Lewis University students and Student Nursing Association.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 13,000 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:

(L-R) Romeoville Lewis University Student Nursing Association members Courtney Carter, Marielisa Silva, Annie Samoska, Allyson Lindish and Anna Nowak, at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park warehouse, proudly display the donated toys and gift cards which will help comfort young cancer patients.