Chicagoland Special Spaces To Provide Bedroom Makeover For Woodridge Boy Suffering From Leukemia

WOODRIDGE, Ill. - Jan. 31, 2014 - PRLog -- Samuel suffers from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He was diagnosed in March of 2012 and has endured a long chemotherapy regimen that is expected to end in May of 2015. Through all his adversity, Samuel has been a brave little boy with a positive attitude. According to his mother Donna Tavolino, “His amazing attitude has pulled us out of many dark days, and his will to fight has taught us more about life and what is truly important than we could have every taught him. He is always smiling, ready to have fun & he is always ready to love. He has a heart filled with compassion and a soul that shines. He is our true pint-sized superhero.”

Samuel has requested an Imaginext Toys themed room. To help complete makeovers, Special Spaces Chicagoland depends on donations from individuals, local businesses, groups and even other foundations. Samuel’s room makeover funding is being provided by the Coldwell Banker Charitable Foundation.  The Foundation’s purpose is to support local housing-related charities that directly benefit the needs of the people and communities that it serves. Several Coldwell Banker volunteers will be working to help create Samuel’s new room.

“We are thrilled to be able to help make over Samuel’s room and support this wonderful organization,” said Fran Broude, President and CEO, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. “Our Foundation’s goal to provide a place to call home for those in need closely aligns with Special Spaces’ mission to create warm and inviting spaces for seriously ill children.”

Naperville resident Kelly Knox founded the Special Spaces Chicagoland chapter in 2012. Since its inception, 13 ill children have gotten room makeovers. Knox has a full slate schedule for 2014 and a waiting list is in place for many more deserving children.  The organization’s goal is to create dream bedrooms for children with life-threatening medical illnesses. The focus is answering one question:  Where does a child go when battling a serious illness to find peace and comfort?  A bedroom of course.  According to Knox, “A bedroom to most kids is a personal space—a place that represents his or her unique personality. For a child with a critical illness who spends a lot of time at home in his or her room, that room should be a very special space.  A place of comfort and refuge.  A place that inspires and gives hope.”

The Chicagoland chapter has room makeovers scheduled on a monthly basis for children in need. Follow the progress on Facebook at “Special Spaces Chicagoland”. For details about this special organization go to http://www.specialspaceschicagoland.org.  For more information on how you can volunteer, donate, or start a chapter yourself, please contact kellyk@specialspaces.org.

About Coldwell Banker Charitable Foundation

Coldwell Banker Charitable Foundation is a chapter of the Realogy Charitable Foundation, Inc. a 501(c)(3) public charity incorporated in Delaware (Tax ID# 20-0755090). The Foundation's mission is to better the quality of life in communities where Realogy Corporation/NRT LLC has a presence. To learn more about the Coldwell Banker Charitable Foundation and how to get involved with the organization's non-profit partners, visit www.givehousing.com.

About Special Spaces

Special Spaces National was founded in July 2004 on the precedent that children battling life-threatening illnesses need their own special space. This is a place of hope, inspiration and a special space to find peace and comfort. A Special Spaces, a 501 C (3) non-profit, has created hundreds of bedrooms across the country. It is the vision of our organization to have a Special Spaces Director everywhere there is a child in need.