5-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Gets Dream Room Makeover

Five-year-old Alice Endres walked through her bedroom door to find a magical transformation waiting for her after beating a rare form of kidney cancer.

The Waukesha kindergartener had just finished 42 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation when the nonprofit Special Spaces surprised her with a complete bedroom makeover. Volunteers spent a single day creating her dream space: a lavender, floral, artist-themed room complete with her very own mirror.

Alice's cancer journey began on her fifth birthday when her parents noticed something was wrong. "She didn't want to play at her birthday party," her mother Julianne remembered. Bloodwork revealed a rare kidney cancer that had already spread to Alice's lungs.

During treatment, Julianne discovered Special Spaces, an organization that creates dream bedrooms for children battling life-threatening illnesses. She reached out hoping to give Alice a peaceful place to rest and recover.

"You're taking a family who have just been given their worst news ever, and you're just saying, okay, you know what? You're really busy. We'd like to give you a space that is what you're looking for," said Colleen Cowan, a director with Special Spaces.

The transformation happened while Alice was away from home. When she returned, volunteers invited her to knock three times on her bedroom door before revealing the surprise.

Sunny's Take

The real magic happened when Special Spaces surprised Alice's older sister Lily with her own room makeover. "Let's face it, the siblings go through a lot when the child is in treatment," Cowan explained. "Sometimes the siblings sort of have to maybe go on the back burner for a few minutes."

That thoughtfulness meant everything to Julianne. "We are very, very fortunate to have so many people throw happiness around like confetti," she said. "They show up when they had absolutely no reason to show up for our small little family."

Alice has now completed treatment and is scheduled to ring the traditional "end of treatment" bell next week, marking the official end of her cancer journey. Her new bedroom will be waiting to welcome her home to the next chapter of her childhood.