Breanna Bethke, a teenager from Fort Dodge, Iowa, who was battling an autoimmune illness, received a pleasant gift one Sunday morning: a surprise bedroom makeover.
Last August, Breanna began experiencing symptoms such as high fevers, body aches, and constant fatigue, leading to a diagnosis of Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).
Breanna received chemo until mid-October after her HLH diagnosis.
She’s been stable since January and doesn’t need more treatment unless the HLH flares up.
Then, on Sunday, her bedroom got a lovely makeover to help her relax and recover.
Kari Swisher heads My Happy Place in Fort Dodge, which has done makeovers for about ten sick adults locally.
“It gives people who are ill other things to pay attention to during the time during the makeover, and so I think we’ve made a big difference in a lot of people’s lives,” Kari said.
Breanna was chosen to have her room revamped after being nominated by some other students from Fort Dodge, NBC 2 reports.
Now, she has her dream bedroom with an LED fireplace, a fancy vanity, and lots of faith-based decorations.
Kara Ocenasek, a volunteer at My Happy Place, spent the last two months designing Breanna’s room.
She mentioned that after her bedroom makeover while dealing with breast cancer, it’s very meaningful for her to give back in this special way.
“The fact that we can do this for other women, men, and children experiencing similar situations is just an amazing feeling, and it’s really a gift,” Kara said.
Breanna loves her new room and is grateful for the surprise bedroom makeover.
“This is awesome,” she said. “It’s amazing. I love it, and I’m really, really thankful.”
What is HLH?
HLH is a severe illness that causes widespread inflammation and can be deadly, according to Immune Deficiency Foundation.
It often occurs alongside other health issues, known as secondary HLH, which may be linked to conditions like infections or cancer.
Some individuals with secondary HLH also have predisposing conditions such as rheumatologic diseases or immune deficiencies.
Primary HLH, which stems from specific genes present at birth, typically affects patients from a young age and can be fatal within months if untreated.
Treatment, including bone marrow transplants, may offer some extension of life, but the prognosis can still be limited.
Early and aggressive treatment of secondary HLH, however, may improve the outlook.
In HLH, certain cells become overly active and attack the body instead of fighting infections, resulting in a dangerous “cytokine storm” and damage to organs like the blood cells, bone marrow, spleen, liver, lymph nodes, skin, and occasionally the brain.
Symptoms of HLH often include persistent high fever, rash, liver and spleen enlargement, hepatitis, jaundice, low blood cell counts, and swollen lymph nodes.
Neurological complications such as confusion, seizures, or coma may also arise.
Primary HLH is rare, affecting about 1 in 50,000 births annually worldwide.
There’s a slight increase in reported cases, possibly due to improved detection methods.
My Happy Place
My Happy Place, a nonprofit run by volunteers, aims to provide healing environments for those facing serious health challenges.
These spaces aid in reducing stress, pain, and anxiety, accelerating recovery, and fostering well-being.
Often, learning about receiving a “happy place” is the first positive news individuals hear since their diagnosis, offering them hope and something to anticipate amidst their health journeys.
My Happy Place works closely with the recipient to design and personalize a space in their home that will help them the most.
They create a place with soothing colors, cleanliness, calming sounds, pleasant scents, and comforting visuals.
They, use specially chosen items to make the space comfortable, helping the recipient cope and recover better.
The organization’s contribution is just one part of the healing process, but they believe it’s a very important part.
They hope that each time the recipient walks into their “happy place,” they feel reminded that they are not alone and have the love and support of friends, family, and their community.
Watch how happy Breanna was after the surprise bedroom makeover:
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