Special Spaces provides room makeovers for children with disabilities, illnesses

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (WLS) -- Some super heroes are making a little boy's dream come true, and it's up for debate who the real heroes are - the ones with the super powers or the volunteers who are bringing them to life.

An inspired interior designer is making it her life's work to bring cheer to children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. With the help of sponsors and volunteers, she's making dreams come true one room makeover at a time.

Jude Pekala is a having a tough year. The 6-year-old is battling leukemia. His parents say he has handled treatment like a champ.

"The chemo treatment started off, he's had a couple of weeks where he's been in the hospital. I bet in the last year-and-a-half he's probably spent about two months in the hospital," said Matthew Pekala, Jude's dad.

It's why they jumped at the opportunity to give him a dream room makeover.

Kelly Knox heads the Illinois chapter of Special Spaces. That's a non-profit organization that provides dream bedroom makeovers - free of charge - to children with disabilities and critical illnesses.

"These children come to us and their parents say, 'My child has found out they are sick in this room. My child has had so many sleepless nights and so many tears in this room and they spend their whole life in this room,'" Knox said. "They come to us and say, 'What can you do for us?'"

Assurance Agency sponsored this venture in Schaumburg and employees volunteered to take on the job.

"I'm not the handiest of people so it's always a good challenge when you gotta put beds together and do some painting and such, but we've done a little bit of everything today. I think he's in for a big surprise," said Steven Handmaker of Assurance.

And with every stroke of the brush, Jude's bedroom transformed from simple to spectacular.

Spider-Man leaps over Jude's bed. Personalized costumes don the walls. Signs of super heroes are in every corner.

"To the volunteers, I couldn't say thank you enough. This is something that we weren't able to do for Jude that they were. And it took a lot of time and a lot of money and a lot of hard work, and they were able to give that to Jude," said Stephanie Pekala, Jude's mom.

Jude's dad says he hopes being surrounded by super heroes will give him the strength to fight on.

"All the treatments, all the things he missed. I mean he missed the first six months of kindergarten. We figure things like this are kind of retribution for him having survived it and not only survived it, but he survived it with a smile on his face," Matthew said.

"I just don't know what to say. This is really, really cool!" Jude said.

Special Spaces has been making dreams come true in the Chicago area for the past two-and-a-half years. They have completed 43 room makeovers.

If you would like to connect with the organization, visit www.specialspaceschicagoland.org.