About Us
The hope, dream and goal of the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation is to have a Treasure Chest in all
pediatric oncology facilities in the nation. The Treasure Chest Program allows pediatric cancer patients to choose an
age appropriate toy or gift card as a reward for having the courage to undergo painful but necessary procedures.
Currently, the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest program comforts over 16,000 children and teens each month.
Our History
On February 15, 1993, seven-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.
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.
In the ensuing years, the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation has experienced phenomenal growth thanks to the caring support from hundreds of individual and corporate donors and benefactors. Today, we can proudly point to our numerous locations throughout the nation and know that thousands of young children and teens are being comforted each month as they endure the hardships of cancer treatment. Fundraising events, such as the Annual Treasuring Our Kids Gala, have helped us accomplish our objective of providing toys and smiles to kids with cancer.
The following incident illustrates the program’s positive impact on the lives of children with cancer:
On a visit to the clinic, Colleen and her son Martin heard a little boy about three or four years old crying in one of the treatment rooms. Martin turned to his mother and exclaimed, “He’s getting a bone marrow, Mom!” Martin knew that having a bone marrow extracted from his hip would be a very painful procedure. Suddenly, the crying stopped and the young boy exclaimed, “Do I get my toy now?” The nurses happily said, “Follow us,” and off the young boy went like a proud soldier to the Treasure Chest full of toys.
More Info
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The mission of the Treasure Chest Foundation is to provide comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens who have been diagnosed with cancer
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Every child with cancer will know the comfort and hope of the Treasure Chest Foundation
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Child-Focused - With each decision made, our focus is on how to best serve the children and teens who benefit from our treasure chests.
Community - All children and teens facing cancer are welcomed to our treasure chests. We affirm the dignity and worth of each and every participant, volunteer, and staff member.
Gratitude - Every donation, and every toy is genuinely appreciated. We are grateful to all our volunteers and donors. Without you, fulfilling our mission would not be possible.
Growth - The Treasure Chest Foundation strives to grow to a place to serve every child with cancer in the US.
Hope - Every child and teen deserves hope and joy in their life and we will continue to do all we can to provide that.
Treasure Chest Program Openings - 67 Locations
Advocate Children’s Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL
Hinsdale Hospital, Hinsdale, IL
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Loyola Medical Center, Maywood, IL
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL
Comer Children’s Hospital, Chicago, IL
Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL
University of Illinois Hospital, Chicago, IL
Advocate Children’s Hospital, Park Ridge, IL
Mercy Hospital, Chicago, IL
Swedish American Hospital, Rockford, IL
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, IL
Bronson Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic, Kalamazoo, MI
Beacon Hospital, South Bend, IN
American Family Children’s Hospital, Madison, WI
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital, Green Bay, WI
St. Jude Midwest Affiliate Clinic, Peoria, IL
St. John’s Children’s Hospital, Springfield, IL
St. Vincent Children’s Center for Cancer, Indianapolis, IN
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Midwest Brain Tumor Center, Park Ridge, IL
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT
Carle Clinic, Urbana, IL
UVA Medical Center, Charlottesville, VA
Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO
IU Health North Hospital (Riley Hematology/Oncology) at IU Health
North, Carmel, IN
Floating Hospital at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, Oakland, CA
Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA
Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL
Marshfield Children’s Hospital/Marshfield Medical Center
Children’s Hospital, Marshfield, WI
Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI
Lutheran Children’s Hospital, Ft. Wayne, IN
St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health, Charlotte, NC
Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE
Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Richmond, VA
Northwestern Medicine Chicago Proton Center, Warrenville, IL
Central DuPage Hospital Cancer Center, Warrenville, IL
Edward Hospital, Naperville, IL
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, MO
ProCure Proton Therapy Center, Somerset, NJ
ProCure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City, OK
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Lombardi Comprehensive
Cancer Center, Washington, D.C.
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Proton Therapy Center, Seattle, WA
Washington University Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO
Oklahoma Children’s Hospital-Jimmy Everest Center,
Oklahoma City, OK
Children’s Hospital at Erlanger Center for Cancer and Blood
Diseases, Chattanooga, TN
Northwestern Medicine CDH Diagnostic Imaging Center, Winfield, IL
Cleveland Clinic Children’s and Pediatric Institute, Cleveland, OH
Toledo Children’s Hospital, Toledo, OH
University of Missouri Women’s and Children’s Hospital,
Columbia, MO
University of Missouri Women’s and Children’s Hospital,
Columbia, MO
Children’s Hospital at Tri Star Centennial, Nashville, TN
Eau Claire Cancer Center, Marshfield Clinic Health Systems,
Eau Claire, WI
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, OH
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Mercy Health Children’s Hospital, Toledo, OH
Niswonger Children’s Hospital, Johnson City, TN
Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron, OH
Miami Cancer Institute, Radiation Therapy, Miami, FL
University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital, Albuquerque, NM
Golisano Children’s Hospital, Fort Myers, FL
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Knoxville, TN
Parkview Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Fort Wayne, IN
Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA