South Cook News

Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey applauds Tinley Park American Legion for supporting the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) of Orland Park. 

Bailey strongly encourages involvement in supporting the community. 

"Thank you to the men and women of the Tinley Park American Legion for supporting the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF) of Orland Park," Bailey said in a statement. "Your dedication to the citizens of our country, and state has continued beyond your service in our Armed Forces, and compounds daily in your support for our communities."

The Orland Park-based Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation received a $200 donation from the Tinley Park American Legion Post 615. 

"I would like to thank Commander Jimmy Hunter and the Tinley Park American Legion for their most generous donation to the Treasure Chest Foundation," Treasure Chest Foundation Board Secretary Tammy Girten said, Patch reported. "Their donation will help support children and teens who endure years of cancer treatments by rewarding the little ones with a toy, gift or gift card after every procedure. Children and teenagers battling cancer will benefit from the donation."

Girten also mentioned that there are more than 5,700 young cancer patients who get services from the Orland Park-based Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation at 65 cancer treatment facilities spread throughout 21 states and the District of Columbia.

The POTCF is an organization that is "dedicated to supporting pediatric cancer patients and their families by fully and continuously stocking a decorated treasure chest and large cabinet located in outpatient areas within cancer treatment centers." They also provide "age-appropriate, new and exciting toys, gifts and gift cards to every patient. The smaller toys are stored in a treasure chest and designated for children undergoing simple procedures like a blood test. The larger, more expensive toys and gifts are stored in a cabinet and kept for those children and teens experiencing more extensive, painful procedures such as spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations and radiation. The gift cards are designated exclusively for teenage patients." The foundation understands that pediatric cancer deals a heavy blow to families and despite the fact that they do not "outwardly promote giving toys and gifts to siblings of cancer patients, the Foundation never turns away a sibling who is suffering in silence. They too are allowed to choose a smaller item from the treasure chest.”

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation started in the early 1990s. 

“On Feb. 15, 1993, 7-year-old Martin Kisel was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, commonly known as ALL. During the following three years, Martin — like so many other young cancer patients — experienced a series of painful procedures as well as intensive chemotherapy as part of his treatment protocol,” the group notes on its website. “As Martin endured the seemingly endless procedures, his mother, Colleen Kisel, discovered that providing him with a small toy after each procedure resulted in a calming distraction from his pain. Colleen could see the joy these toys gave her son and believed this would be good for all children who were being treated for cancer. She began a letter writing campaign to solicit donations, and in August of 1996 her efforts paid off when she was honored with a large donation from Aramark Corporation. That donation officially launched the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.”