Autumn Duggan hugs her father, Ryan Duggan, as she enters her redecorated bedroom for the first time Saturday afternoon at the family's home in Cleveland, Tenn. Duggan was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 4. Special Spaces, a nonprofit organization that redecorates the bedroom of children with life threatening illnesses made over Duggan's bedroom.ELSEWHERE ONLINEFor more information, visit www.SpecialSpacesChattanooga.org.
From left, Koby Duggan, Sonya Duggan, Ryan Duggan, and Ryan Duggan, Jr., react as they enter Autumn Duggan's redecorated bedroom for the first time Saturday afternoon at the family's home in Cleveland, Tenn. Autumn Duggan was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 4. Special Spaces, a nonprofit organization that redecorates the bedroom of children with life threatening illnesses made over Duggan's bedroom.CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Saturday was a big day for Autumn.
It was her eighth birthday. The Tennessee Aquarium hosted her and her family -- brothers Koby and Ryan and parents Ryan and Sonya Duggan -- for the special day.
While they were away, nearly two dozen people entered the family's home and quickly went to work painting Autumn's room, decorating it with her favorite colors. They sewed a duvet and a rug, hung curtains, installed a ceiling fan, assembled new furniture and set up a TV big enough for weak eyes.
There were gifts for Koby and Ryan, too.
Autumn Duggan has an inoperable brain tumor, and Special Spaces Chattanooga was set on making her bedroom special while she battles cancer.
"These kids spend an enormous amount of time in their rooms, and their rooms should be a place of encouragement and hope," said Ann Strunk, area director for Special Spaces Chattanooga. "That's what Special Spaces is about, to give them a place to address their needs in a space of hope and encouragement."
When the family came home Saturday afternoon, all the Special Spaces people were in the living room to sing Happy Birthday before showing Autumn her brand-new room.
Keeping the excitement under control all day while the crews worked was not that hard, Ryan Duggan said.
"The kids love fish and sharks and everything. But they were anxious, especially Autumn, when we started back," he said.
Autumn's new bed is a trundle bed so that, some nights, her mom can be reassuringly close.
Sharon Gallaher painted a mural on a wall. It includes a little turtle because Autumn and her dad made up a song about one that lifts the child's spirits.
The tumor was discovered at T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital at Erlanger when Autumn was 4, Gallaher said.
She had immediate surgery so shunts could be put in her brain to prevent fluid buildup. Then Autumn went to Vanderbilt Hospital for a biopsy. A nine-hour surgery to remove the tumor was not successful.
She's been through two rounds of chemotherapy, and the doctors are watching and waiting to see what the tumor does. She's supposed to have an MRI in December.
There are Special Spaces chapters all over the country. In this area, children are referred through the children's hospital at Erlanger.
The group seeks corporate sponsors for each project and has a special arrangement with Lowe's Home Improvement for materials and with Chick-fil-A to feed the volunteers.
So far the group had redone three bedrooms in Chattanooga, one in Polk County and now Autumn's in Cleveland.
It will do another one in April, but the location hasn't been decided, Special Spaces leaders said.
Meanwhile, Autumn has decided to grow her hair long for Locks Of Love, a program that collects human hair to make wigs for chemo patients.