First Midwest Bank in Tinley Park Celebrates Christmas in July

First Midwest Bank in Tinley Park celebrated the gift of giving during their Christmas in July toy drive to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). Ten employees and customers donated hundreds of toys to help children fighting cancer. The Orland Park-based non-profit organization provides comfort and distraction from painful treatments to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy or gift card in 62 hospitals across 20 states nationwide.

First Midwest Bank is a full-service bank providing a full range of business and retail banking and trust and investment management services through 129 offices located in 64 communities throughout Illinois as well as northwest Indiana and eastern Iowa.

First Midwest Bank Branch Manager Cathy Schneider said, “This was a collaborated effort. I think the Treasure Chest Foundation is one of those organizations that I believe needs more attention than it gets. We want to help the Treasure Chest Foundation get as much attention as possible. Banker Lisa Karl chimed in saying, “The Treasure Chest Foundation is close to our hearts for many reasons.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, "We are extremely grateful to the First Midwest Bank for their continued support. Their tremendous support will help brave children battling cancer."

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 62 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 28th 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 708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.