The Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, provides comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens undergoing treatment for cancer by providing a toy or gift card from a treasure chest/cabinet. The organization has opened 66 treasure chest programs and currently serves more than 16,100 children and teens monthly in Children's Cancer Treatment Centers across the nation. The Treasure Chest is dedicated to supporting pediatric cancer patients and their families by fully and continuously stocking a decorated treasure chest and large cabinet located in outpatient areas within cancer treatment centers. The Treasure Chest provides age-appropriate, new, and exciting toys and gift cards to every patient. The smaller toys are stored in a treasure chest and designated for children undergoing simple procedures like a blood test. The larger, more expensive toys and gifts are stored in a cabinet and kept for those children and teens experiencing more extensive, painful procedures such as spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations, and radiation. Pediatric cancer deals a heavy blow to families. Although the Foundation does not outwardly promote giving toys and gifts to siblings of cancer patients, the Foundation never turns away a sibling who is suffering in silence. They too are allowed to choose a smaller item from the treasure chest.
