Mokena Resident Hosts Holiday Toy Drive in Memory of Niece

Mokena resident Mike Doria hosted a creative holiday toy drive Christmas party with the goal of helping children and teens fighting cancer in memory of his niece Kendra. Kendra battled cancer for over ten years of her young life. Mike asked 65 attendees to bring a new toy to his party to help children battling cancer. After the last toy was dropped off more than 245 toys were donated and delivered to the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation warehouse in Orland Park. Mike wanted to do something in memory of his niece. He has been donating toys in her name for more than 16 years.

Mike Doria said, “I want to honor my niece Kendra who passed away from cancer along with my stepdad Rufino Dominguez who also passed away from cancer.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel extended her most sincere gratitude to Mike Doria, “The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to Mike Doria, his friends and family for their enormous donation,” said a grateful Colleen Kisel, Founder and CEO of the Treasure Chest Foundation. “Their gifts will help us put a smile on the faces of thousands of children going through cancer treatment just like Mike’s niece Kendra.”

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 this year.

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.