Volunteers Transform Sick Boy's Room Into Circus Theme

Seven-year-old John Staszel loves the circus, which is why he was more than happy to enjoy an afternoon at a party at a local hotel with a few of his friends and a few clowns his parents provided.

John is battling a rare form of leukemia and needs to spend a lot of time in his room.

But while they were at the hotel, volunteers from Special Spaces Chicagoland and Ringling Bros. Circus were transforming his room into a circus theme, just in time for the holidays.

"We're creating a circus-themed bedroom for John which is a safe, happy place that he can come where he's not at the hospital, where he doesn't have to think about the treatment he's undergoing, and he can just go and be a kid and have fun in his room," said Amy Dubinsky of Ringling Bros.

Special Spaces' motto is "changing children's lives one bedroom at a time."

"No child deserves to go through what children like John do, so it's a special gift that we can provide for them," said Lori McSpadden of Special Spaces.

When John came home, he was surprised by the new look of his bedroom.

"It's been a very tough year for the both of us. We're very blessed that his health is much better, that's our biggest concern," John's dad, Andy Staszel said.

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