Three Generations of the Ritchie Family are Gifting Children

Members of the Ritchie family representing three generations are giving back to children fighting cancer by labeling toys, making gift bags, building deliveries and organizing the warehouse to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). Family members include long-time volunteers Mount Greenwood residents Dan and Diane Ritchie who convinced their son, Danny Ritchie along with granddaughter Cate Ritchie (age 13) and Cate’s friend Addie Oster (age 12) to volunteer at the Foundation. The Orland Park-based, not-for-profit organization provides comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy or gift card in 62 hospitals nationwide.

Cate Ritchie had positive reactions to her experience. Cate said, “It was fun to volunteer and to experience helping kids who have cancer. Cate’s father Danny Ritchie said, “We're here to give back to an organization that has helped so many others in need.”

POTCF Founder and CEO Colleen Kisel is grateful for the Ritchie family’s support. Colleen said, “We are incredibly proud to host three generations of one family who willingly made the decision to work for children fighting cancer. It takes hours to sort through our collection of toys and create such appealing gift bags for the children we serve, label our toys and build deliveries. We are truly blessed to have the incredible support of the Ritchie family.”

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 28th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of this year.

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.