Bugle Staff
Five years ago, 4-year-old Joliet resident Mya Tinajero began long-term treatment for neuroblastoma. Her treatment included chemotherapy and numerous painful procedures, but Mya and her family found some relief in the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation.
Last month, the foundation honored the Joliet girl during its seventh annual Treasuring Our Kids Decades of Success event. Mya, now 9, served as the honorary chairperson of the April 2 fundraiser, which raised more than $31,000 to benefit childhood cancer patients.
During a heartfelt speech, Antonio Tinajero gave attendees a unique look at the hardships faced by the family after his daughter received her cancer diagnosis. Mya was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was just 4 years old. Part of the family’s coping ability came from Mya’s visits to select a toy from the treasure chest after each visit.
Services offered by POTCF impact more than 9,300 young cancer patients each month, according to the foundation. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist.
In 1996, Colleen Kisel founded POTCF three years after her then 7-year-old son Martin was diagnosed with leukemia. She 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 23rd anniversary of remission from the disease earlier this year.
Nearly 250 people attended the annual Treasuring Our Kids event, held at Gaelic Park in Oak Forest. The fundraiser included a buffet dinner and musical entertainment, along with silent and live auctions and raffles.
For more information on the Treasure Chest Foundation, visit the foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.