Girl’s sparkling room makeover helps her through cancer journey
By Zoie Henry
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EAST TROY, Wisconsin (WISN) — Mary Schroeder of East Troy was diagnosed with leukemia at 7 years old in 2023, spending 800 days in and out of the hospital for treatment.
“She couldn’t snuggle you. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t walk. She had to be carried. She couldn’t go to dance. She was complaining about going to school,” her mother, Jennifer Schroeder, said, describing the challenges Mary faced during her treatment.
Despite the hardships, Mary found ways to bring joy to others, often dressing in sparkly clothes to lift spirits at the hospital. Her positivity caught the attention of friends, who nominated her for a room makeover through the nonprofit Special Spaces.
Special Spaces transforms bedrooms for children battling cancer, providing them with a safe and joyful retreat at no cost to their families. Cindy Thota, a director with the organization, explained the importance of their mission.
“It’s happy. They’re in such a tough place, and they’re going through something that you just don’t want any family to have to go to. And if we can come and make her happy and give her a safe, clean, whatever she wants bedroom to come home to, because everything at the hospital is rough and tough. And if we can come here and make it fun and loving and joyful, it’s 100% what we want to do,” Thota said.
Thota, who helps design between four and six rooms a year, said the mission is personal for her.
“My husband is a physician, so he has to tell people their kids have cancer, and then I can go in and do something about it,” she said.
After meeting with the Schroeder family multiple times, Thota and her team sent them to a hotel and transformed Mary’s room in just 24 hours.
“For Mary’s room, I knew that it needed sparkle. That needed jimmies. I knew that it needed as many sequins as I could possibly fit in there, and it needed to be squishy and comfortable and above all, happy. Because that’s Mary,” Thota said.
Two years later, Mary, now 10, still loves her glittering room. She rang the bell signifying the end of her treatment in January and continues to cherish her special space.
“Like when I opened the room, like, I saw it. If you could take a picture of it, some people might say it’s AI because it’s just so fun,” Mary said.
She described her favorite features, including her queen-size bed, dresser, stuffed animals, and an ice cream chair.
“I’m glad. I’m blessed that you can have this room,” Mary said.
This week, WISN 12 is raising funds for Special Spaces Wisconsin as part of its Day of Giving initiative. Donations will be collected through a phone bank on Wednesday, June 3, from 3 to 7 p.m.
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