Tinley Park Resident Delivers Smiles of Joy to Children with Cancer

Tammy Girten of Tinley Park believes in supporting children and teens fighting cancer. Treasure Chest Foundation weekly volunteer and the newest board member delivers more than 90 pounds of toys to Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn to benefit the Treasure Chest Foundation.

Tammy's connection to the Treasure Chest Foundation dates back to 2019 when she first started volunteering. Since 2019 Tammy has delivered thousands of toys to Chicagoland Children Cancer Treatment Centers served by the Treasure Chest Foundation along with countless hours of volunteering at the Treasure Chest Foundation’s Orland Park facility. Tammy was recently appointed to the Board of Directors in May 2022.

When asked about delivering the toys Tammy Girten said, “I remember the joy in the eyes of the kids when they saw us bring in the toys. I just love doing this.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, “Tammy’s help is an enormous donation as the cost of shipping has skyrocketed over the years. Her passion for the kids we serve is an asset to our nonprofit.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 15,700 young cancer patients in 65 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 29th 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 1-708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.