Lockport Family Gives Back to the Treasure Chest Foundation

The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation recently received a donation of more than 30 Pokémon toys and Pokémon cards thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of a Lockport family.

Mr. Joe Czarny and his daughter Olivia delivered the toys to the Foundation. When asked what motivated giving back to the Treasure Chest Foundation Mr. Joe Czarny said, “We started opening all the Pokémon cards and thought it would be much better to have deserving kids open all these Pokémon cards and receive the Pokémon toys.”

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 16,100 young cancer patients in 66 cancer treatment centers in 21 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 29th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of 2022.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 1-708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.