At 4 years old, Emily Bott has lost her vision in her left eye, and has only limited vision in her right eye. Her mother, Jennifer, is holding out hope that after more than 20 surgeries since she was born, her youngest child will keep what sight she has, but there is no guarantee.
The last four years for the Bott family have been a whirlwind of struggle and emotion. Emily, who is Jennifer and Jason Bott's youngest child, now 41⁄2, was born blind due to a rare disease called Peters anomaly that caused her to need corneal transplants in both eyes within the first five months of her life.
At first, the transplants prevented Emily from going permanently blind, and she was able to function like any other child her age. However, complications developed, including an additional diagnosis of pediatric glaucoma, and the transplants had to be removed and replaced.
"We really don't know exactly how well she can see, and there is a chance that she can lose the sight in her right eye," Jennifer Bott said. "That is why we are trying to make every day for her as special as we can."
The Bott family applied to
Dream Room Makeovers, a charitable organization that provides room makeovers for children facing medical hardships. In April, a day before Emily was scheduled for yet another surgery, they were told they had been chosen.
"It was so important for me to give Emily a chance to get something as special as this," Jennifer Bott said. "We don't know if she is going to keep her vision, so it is even more important that we give her these memories while we can."
The Botts have lived in Vernon for 31⁄2 years. Jason Bott works at
Route 23 Honda, where he has been employed for the last 17 years. Jennifer is a stay-at-home mother and typically has to take her daughter to the doctor two to three times a week between surgeries.
"Emily is one strong little girl, stronger than any of us, that's for sure," Jennifer Bott said.
The team from Dream Room Makeovers came into the home and started to renovate Emily's room, as well as the room for the Botts' two sons, Matthew, 9, and Tyler, 7, and the living room and kitchen.
New paint, new floors and a Lego-wonderland for the boys awaited Emily's parents and brothers when they returned from a day trip that allowed the Dream Room Makeover crew to finish, but Emily's room remained a mystery.
"Our friends and family joined in on Emily's room and did so much more than we first envisioned," Jennifer Bott said.
The Botts were lovingly kicked out of their home for a week by their friends and sent on vacation while the volunteer crew got to work making extensive additions to Emily's dream room. Emily's room was transformed into a little girl's princess dream, complete with a castle, fairy and even a prince charming, made out of Legos, of course.
When the family returned Saturday, Emily got her first look at her new room.
"This is what I really wanted," Emily said as she looked over the room. "I like it a lot."
Her room was exactly as she had wished for, with purple walls, and murals of rainbows, princess castles and her favorite fairy, Tinkerbell. But her friends added some special touches.
An array of butterflies danced among a rainbow and white clouds in a blue sky in Emily's room, courtesy of Scott and Dawn Ebisch, longtime friends of the Botts.
"We have known Emily since she was born, and we know she has a long road ahead of her," Dawn Ebisch said. "I am just so ecstatic that we could be part of this and help give her the room she was wishing for."
Scott Ebisch said they picked the butterflies because they represent how Emily has blossomed after going through such a hard trial in her short life.
"She is such a special little girl, I am so happy that we could give her something special as well," Scott Ebisch said.
Emily's father, Jason, said the room makeover will give Emily a place to feel special after she goes through the constant doctor visits and medical treatments.
"This gives her a place of her own, a place where she feels special," he said. "I couldn't ask for anything more."
Family friend Brad Morter knew just how important the room was to the whole family.
"This was all about Emily, and we all knew that we had to make it something she would love," Morter said. "I just did whatever I could to help get it done for her."
Jennifer Bott said the gift of the home makeover and the extra effort from their friends to give Emily something to cherish was beyond her expectations.
"I can't say how grateful we are for everything, from our friends and family who gave Emily such a special gift to the Dream Room organization and even Home Depot who donated so much, it was inspirational," Jennifer Bott said. "It gives us, and especially Emily, the little bit extra to make it through the hard times."
Dream Room Makeovers began last September and has redone two houses so far, the first in November in Union for the Willoughby-Hazel family and the second in March at the Nelson residence in Mahwah, where 9-year-old Mary, who is battling a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis, received a retro-1970s bedroom with a tie-dye wall. The team enjoys combining fun additions to the homes it makes over as well as useful aspects that will make the life of the family easier.
According to Robert Stern, founder and president of Dream Room Makeovers, each project takes two to three months of planning. With the help of up to 350 volunteers and a wealth of donations, the Dream Room Makeovers team is able to complete all the work within one day.
Funding is obtained by spreading the word through social media sites, chain emails and by word of mouth. Many local businesses jump at the opportunity to help the families involved, Stern said.
Stern tries to use some of the money available for the reconstruction of the house to help pay off any medical bills the families have.
Stern said there are three ways the public can volunteer: By donating money to a specific family or the general cause; by spending time doing physical work on the home; or by providing products to the workers.
Stern said Home Depot has been a big help on the first two house remodel projects, which cost an average $40,000 to $50,000 each
