Avery's Story: Bridging the Gap Between Hospital Care and Home Treatment

This is Avery.

She is six years old and fighting leukemia.

Diagnosed on Christmas Day, Avery has years of treatment ahead of her. Like so many children today, most of that treatment won't happen in the hospital—it will happen at home.

In her bedroom.

Advances in pediatric cancer care have transformed how children receive treatment. While hospitals remain essential for chemotherapy, procedures, and specialized care, much of a child's cancer journey now takes place at home. Children spend years receiving treatment, recovering, resting, learning, and playing in the very space where they are expected to heal.

Yet most bedrooms were never designed to support the physical, medical, and emotional realities of prolonged cancer treatment.

For Avery, those challenges became deeply personal.

The pain in her legs became so severe that she could no longer climb into bed. To help her sleep comfortably, her family moved both her mattress and her sister's mattress onto the floor of the small bedroom they shared.

Beneath the mattresses was an old area rug—a surface that can harbor dust, allergens, and bacteria, creating additional concerns for a child with a compromised immune system. The room was also overflowing with furniture and belongings, making it difficult to create a space that truly supported Avery's treatment, recovery, and everyday life.

This is the reality many families face.

A child's experience during cancer treatment is often shaped not only by their diagnosis, but also by the environment they return to after every hospital visit.

That's where Designing Dreams steps in.

With the generous support of the Bill & Kristin Grossman Family Trust, Designing Dreams partnered with Christina Kelley Interiors to create a treatment-informed bedroom designed around Avery's unique needs.

From the very beginning, Avery knew exactly what she wanted.

A pink bedroom.

Cherry blossoms.

Pokémon.

A cozy trundle bed she could easily climb into and comfortably rest in on the days when her legs hurt the most.

Christina thoughtfully designed every detail with Avery in mind, creating a space that is both beautiful and functional. Every design decision was intentional—from durable flooring that replaced worn carpeting to custom built-ins that maximized storage and reduced clutter, creating a cleaner, more organized environment for recovery.

The cherry blossom mural, soft pink palette, custom furnishings, and personalized décor transformed the room into a place that reflects Avery's joyful personality while supporting the realities of treatment at home.

But this transformation was never the work of one person.

An incredible community of contractors, painters, cabinet makers, flooring specialists, mural artists, donors, volunteers, and local businesses generously donated their time, talents, and resources to bring Avery's dream to life.

Together, they created far more than a beautiful bedroom.

They created a space designed to support treatment, recovery, comfort, and the simple joy of being six years old.

When Avery opened her bedroom door for the first time, her excitement filled the room.

"I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! This is the best room!"

Moments later, with the biggest smile on her face, she looked around her new bedroom and said,

"This is the best day of my life."

Her reaction reminds us why this work matters. Check out all of Avery's Bedroom Pictures here.

Because for children fighting cancer, a bedroom is so much more than a bedroom.

It becomes the place where they recover after chemotherapy, rest through difficult days, complete schoolwork, celebrate birthdays, play with siblings, and continue growing up despite everything they're facing.

At Designing Dreams USA, we believe every child deserves a home environment that supports healing beyond the hospital.

Avery's story is just the beginning.

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Together with our hospital partners, volunteers, designers, and generous supporters, we're building a future where every child fighting cancer has access to a treatment-informed bedroom that supports treatment, recovery, and hope.

A Heartfelt Thank You

Avery's bedroom transformation was made possible by an extraordinary community of partners and volunteers.

Bedroom Sponsor
💙 Bill & Kristin Grossman Family Trust

Interior Design
🎨 Christina Kelley Interiors

Painting
🖌️ Shades of Distinction Painting

Construction
🔨 KHK Construction

Custom Closet & Built-Ins
🪚 CDN Cabinets

Flooring
🏠 Metro Flooring

Paint Donation
🎨 SW Design Pros

Window Treatments
🪟 Everhem

Custom Mural
🎨 Design by Van D

Photography
📷 My Moments Media

Your generosity helped create more than a dream bedroom—you helped create a healing environment where Avery can continue her cancer journey with greater comfort, safety, and joy.