Oak Forest High School Key Club Donates to the Treasure Chest

Members of the Oak Forest High School Key Club are giving to children and teenagers fighting cancer by hosting a collection drive to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation. After the drive ended 10 boxes of toys and $115 in gift cards were collected to directly benefit children fighting cancer.

Key Club is an international student-led organization that provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership.

The Oak Forest High School Key Club participated in a virtual Leadership Conference. It was during the conference the Key Club decided to support the Treasure Chest Foundation. Gary Andruch Key Club advisor said, “The kids came up with the idea to support the Treasure Chest Foundation during the conference. They wanted to help out again since the school had to cancel the annual holiday toy drive due to the pandemic. The students set up a drive-by toy drive for their classmates who are e-Learning.”

“We are so blessed to have the support of the Oak Forest High School Key Club,” said Colleen Kisel, Founder and CEO of the Treasure Chest Foundation. “The Key Club members are key players for children and teens fighting cancer.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 62 cancer 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 website at www.treasurechest.org.