Joliet boy with leukemia gets extreme room makeover

A 10-year-old Joliet boy who lost muscle mass while battling leukemia can now rebuild it right in his room.

That’s because Jorgie Espinoza, who’s battled leukemia since 2021, recently received a dream bedroom makeover from the Illinois chapter of Special Spaces.

Special Spaces is a nonprofit that provides “dream bedroom makeovers for dependent children ages 2 to 19 with cancer who are within one year of treatment,” Special Spaces said on its website.

Kristy Espinoza said she and her son looked at hundreds of Pinterest pages to create his own board of ideas for Special Spaces to use.

Jorgie’s room now sports a jungle gym, 180 inches of rock climbing wall across one corner of his room, a Ninja swing and a rope swing, said Christy Gallagher, dream bedroom coordinator for Special Spaces Illinois.

“We had two carpenters there to make sure everything was installed safely and correctly,” Gallagher said.

The room also has LED lights, cube lights that change color when Jorgie talks, new bedding, rugs, a huge beanbag chair and gaming decorations.

“He likes a variety of games,” Gallagher said. “We kept it generic so he could grow with it.”

In addition, Jorgie received a 50-inch television mounted on the wall, with the mounts resembling a Nintendo Switch. One of Jorgie’s older sisters gave Jorgie her room because it was larger.

Special Spaces even did room makeovers for Jorgie’s older sisters. One older sister received a Bohemian music-themed decor, while the other wanted an Eastern Boho look, Gallagher said.

“The kids all love their room makeovers,” Kristy said. “I feel like they knew each of the kids. They made their rooms exactly to their liking.”

How cancer treatment affected Jorgie

Jorgie was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after his eighth birthday. Kristy said he noticed Jorgie’s disinterest at a friend’s pool, when he typically loves swimming. He’d felt more tired than usual, too, but a checkup suggested Jorgie only needed to eat a little more, Kristy said.

Then on one particular day, Kristy noticed petechiae on Jorgie’s face. So she took Jorgie back to the doctor, who sent them directly to the emergency department. Testing found the leukemia.

“He had a very, very rough beginning,” Kristy said. “He was actually on a ventilator a coupe of times with complications from the treatment. And because of that, he was in bed for three months without getting out of bed.”

Jorgie consequently lost so much muscle he had to learn how to stand and walk — and he’s still working on running and his fine motor skills.

“When he went into the hospital, he was walking,” Kristy said. “He came out in a wheelchair three months later. ... But he’s “come a very long way.”

Kristy said Jorgie is handling treatment better now and he should complete treatments in November. Through it all, Jorgie kept smiling and joking with hospital staff.

“He just wants to make everyone smile and be happy, even if he’s feeling extremely cruddy. Jorgie has had a smile on this face the entire time,” Kristy said.

Steps to a dream makeover

Gallagher said recommendations for bedroom makeovers come from hospitals, hospices or people who know children with cancer. Recommendations are just the first steps.

“We have a whole application form that includes medical eligibility that has to be in place,” Gallagher said. “Their doctor has to sign saying that the child does have cancer.”

A committee reviews all applications and checks on availability of volunteers and sponsorships.

“Our goal is to help every child with cancer that we can,” Gallagher said.

In Illinois, approved families are paired with a sponsor, who sets the budget for the makeover. Volunteers are arranged to help with the makeover and a date for the makeover is set, Gallager said.

“Then I go out to meet the family and see the rooms,” she said. “I see what they need, what they want and what makes it a dream bedroom for them – a really cool place to spend time with their friends and family.”

“I feel like they knew each of the kids. They made their rooms exactly to their liking.”

—  Kristy Espinoza of Joliet, whose three children received bedroom makeovers from Special Spaces

Gallagher then brainstorms with her team and starts shopping.

“On the day of the makeover, we come over with a van full of goodies,” Gallagher said. “We meet the family at 8:30 (a.m.) and get to work. We also do mini makeovers for the siblings. At 9 (a.m.) they [family members] leave. We pretty much empty the rooms, paint everything. And then we bring in all the new furniture, new bedding and whatever else is fun to them.”

About 4:30 p.m., the family may return home.

Gallagher said Jorgie’s makeover was one of Special Places more elaborate installations. But the results were definitely worth it, especially since kids with cancer spend so much time inside their bedrooms.

“Now they can invite their friends over and talk about something besides cancer,” Gallagher said.

Special Spaces by the numbers

• Special Spaces was founded in 2004 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

• Special Spaces now has 12 chapters in 10 states.

• Special Spaces average budget per room makeover is $7,500.

• Special Spaces has created more than 1,600 dream bedroom makeovers.

• Special Spaces Illinois hopes to create 75 dream bedrooms in 2023. It’s currently completed more than 60.