La Grange Teenager’s Tennis Lessons Benefits Children

La Grange teenager Tiernan Kelly provides a helping hand to kids with cancer by giving private tennis lessons to local children designed to raise funds to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.

The hardworking teenager scheduled 39 tennis lessons and ultimately netted $2,000 to benefit children fighting cancer. Tiernan’s name may sound familiar. Last year Tiernan Kelly implemented and coordinated a local tennis tournament known as the Tennis Fun Fest and raised over $10,000.

Tiernan described his reasons for helping the Treasure Chest Foundation and young cancer patients by saying, “I knew I had to do something to help the Treasure Chest Foundation. Last year was amazing and giving lessons was one way I could give back.”

“Tiernan’s support is especially appreciated,” said Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel. “Tiernan figured out a way to conduct safe tennis lessons. The lessons were not only a win for the kids we serve but for the students whose activities were cancelled.”

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.