Treasure Chest Opens Latest Program in Memory of La Grange Boy

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) reached a major milestone October 3, 2019 with the opening of its 58th Treasure Chest Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in memory of Tyler Duelm from La Grange, a childhood cancer patient who lost his battle and who is continually remembered in his hometown La Grange, IL community for courage in the face of tremendous adversity. Through annual toy drives and numerous fundraising efforts, Tyler’s parents, Brent and Laura Duelm, have continued to support children and teens fighting cancer across the nation during the past 13 years.

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing.

The Duelm family’s amazing generosity helped make the Mayo Clinic Treasure Chest Program a reality, as Brent’s employer, Leopardo Companies Inc. of Hoffman Estates, donated $5,000 through the auspices of their Leopardo Charitable Foundation. Brent and Laura then agreed to match that amount with their own personal donation of an additional $5,000. And thus, it is only fitting that our latest Program, one which will provide our services to approximately 480 young cancer patients each month, is dedicated to the memory of brave young Tyler Duelm.

Tyler’s mother, Laura, said, “Our family is very pleased to be able to support the wonderful work of the Treasure Chest Foundation. We are honored that this new Treasure Chest Program is being launched in memory of our sweet Tyler, and we know that the smiles provided by these toys will lift the spirits of these brave youngsters, just as they did for our son many years ago.”

As Founder and CEO of the Treasure Chest Foundation, I expressed my deep appreciation during the Program’s dedication ceremony by saying, “I feel blessed to have the support of the Duelm family and I will forever be saddened when I think of the pain they have had to endure. They constantly support our Foundation in memory of their beloved son Tyler, and for that we are so grateful. Because of the incredible generosity of the Leopardo Companies and Brent and Laura Duelm, we are able to open our 58th Treasure Chest Program in such an important location as the Mayo Clinic and in memory of Tyler.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,000 young cancer patients in 58 cancer treatment centers in 20 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 26th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2019.

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.