Get to Know Us
Our History
On February 15, 1993, seven-year-old Martin Kisel faced a daunting challenge—a diagnosis of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). For the next three years, he would climb a grueling mountain of treatments, battling the harsh realities of chemotherapy and painful procedures. It was a treacherous climb, but in those moments of difficulty, his mother, Colleen Kisel, noticed something small yet powerful: a toy after each procedure could bring Martin a fleeting moment of joy amid his struggle.
Seeing the happiness these toys sparked in her son, she saw an opportunity to ease the climb for other children facing similar battles. Inspired by the comfort these toys brought to her son, Colleen decided to share this gift with others. She embarked on her own climb—an uphill battle of letter-writing and fundraising. Her determination led to a breakthrough in August 1996, when the Aramark Corporation made a generous contribution. This marked the first summit for what would become the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.
Over the years, the Treasure Chest Foundation has continued to ascend, growing from a humble idea into a lifeline for thousands of young cancer patients. With each step forward, the Foundation’s reach expanded, fueled by the support of generous donors and corporate partners. From its early days to now, the Foundation has brought comfort and joy to children and teens undergoing cancer treatments across the United States, providing them with treasures of hope during their toughest moments.
Our Present and Beyond
But the climb is far from over. In fact, it is still a steep, ongoing ascent. For the past six years, Martin has continued to climb—not just the mountains of his own life, but physical peaks to raise funds for the Foundation that has supported him and so many others. Every year, Martin and a group of friends venture into the Colorado Rockies to conquer a 14er—a mountain that reaches at least 14,000 feet. Each climb is a reminder of the battles these children face, and each summit brings them closer to the goal of providing even more toys and moments of joy to those in need. Through this annual event, “Climb for the Kids,” Martin has raised an impressive $18,875 to support the Foundation’s mission.
As the Treasure Chest Foundation continues to grow, we look back with gratitude at how far we’ve come. The path we’ve climbed has been paved with generosity, compassion and hope. But there is still much more to be done. The mountain we seek to scale is tall, and the summit is just out of reach—but with each donation, each event, and each step forward, we’re getting closer to the peak.
With your continued support, we can bring even more comfort to children and families facing the hardest climb of all—the fight against cancer. Together, we can ensure that no child faces this challenge without a moment of light, a treasure to hold on to, as they make their way toward the top.
Our Founder Colleen Kisel and her son Martin
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 by providing toys, gifts and gift cards from a Treasure Chest.
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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.
Meet the Team
Staff
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Kendra Connor, M.S.
Executive Director
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Candace Muys
Executive Assistant
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Kimberly Perchez
Distribution Specialist & Event Coordinator
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George Popelka
Bookkeeper
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Jessie Zeller
Graphic Design Specialist
Board of Directors
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Colleen Kisel
Founder
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Maureen Cipolla
President
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Joseph Bullington
Vice President
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Glen Ponczak
Treasurer
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Tammy Girten
Secretary
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Meghan Abraham
Member
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Giuliano Cipolla
Member
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Salvatore Cirrincione
Member
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Jack Hallberg
Member
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Connie Lemar
Member
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Paul Maiellaro
Member
Treasure Chest Program Openings
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 at IU Health
(Riley Hematology/Oncology)
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
Military Hospital, VA
Sandford Bismarck Pediatric
Hematology/Oncology, Bismarck, ND
The Herman & Walter Samuelson
Children’s Hospital at Sinai,
Baltimore, MD