Alderman Donates Toys and $2,840 to the Treasure Chest Foundation

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — Palos Heights Alderman Jack Clifford is giving to the community and helping children and teens fighting cancer. During the month of December, the Alderman reached out to his colleagues and collected $2,840 and toys to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation. The largest donation of $1,000 came from the Palos Lions Club.

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, “We feel so blessed and honored to have the support of Alderman Jack Clifford’s friends and family. We are amazed to see the overwhelming support that has come in due to Mr. Clifford’s efforts. This gift would not be possible without the generosity and kindness of Mr. Clifford and his colleagues.” Alderman Jack Clifford humbly repeated the words, “This is a group effort, this is a group effort.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,800 young cancer patients in 63 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 28th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2021.

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

The donation will help support thousands of children and teens who endure years and years of unending cancer treatments by rewarding the little ones with a toy, gift or gift card after every procedure.”