Mokena Sisters and Brother Make a Difference to Help Children

Children have every reason to think of themselves this time of year but that is not the case for the Berenson children from Mokena. Eight-year-old Lilia, six-year-old Lukas and four-year-old Lucy came up with the idea to collect toys for ‘kids in the hospital’ by creating a social media post asking their family to donate toys for the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.

Children battling cancer will have reason to smile thanks to this family. Toys, arts and craft kits and toddle toys were dropped off at the Berenson home. The toys will be delivered to the Treasure Chest Foundation next week.

“It is nice to witness children helping children,” said an appreciative Colleen Kisel, Founder of the Treasure Chest Foundation. “We are happy to have the support of the Berenson sisters and brother. Their innovative toy drive will help brighten the lives of so many brave children battling cancer.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 61cancer 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 27th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2020.

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 web site at www.treasurechest.org.