Emma's Story
Cecily's Closet is a labor of love. Our volunteers rally around a child to show love, support and provide a boost in what can often be a challenging time in their life. For sweet Emma, her life is full of hospital rooms, medical equipment, journeys to Stanford, doctors and home-school. When we envisioned Cecily's Closet, we were really thinking a lot about kids just like Emma. We love sharing the stories of the families and children we meet and why they were chosen for a room makeover from Cecily's Closet. When we received Emma's nomination from her teacher, we cried. It was absolutely gushing about her student and how a room would really brighten her life. The love poured forth in words stood out amongst a sea of nominations so we quickly jumped on the phone to hear more. We were so happy when the family accepted the gift and decided to move forward with our process. When the team met Emma it was love at first sight. Emma, 14, is a mature, fun-loving, sassy, sweet and simply lovable girl who was very excited about all things girly. She loves the color purple, Taylor Swift, glitter, make-up and all things Lego. We knew she would be the perfect match for our first-time project with teens from the Seaside Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. We have been wanting to work with this group for years and were finally thrilled to have this relationship blossom. Emma has Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. In people with CF, a defective gene causes a thick, buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas and other organs. In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps bacteria leading to infections, extensive lung damage and eventually, respiratory failure. In the pancreas, the mucus prevents the release of digestive enzymes that allow the body to break down food and absorb vital nutrients. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry, in the United States:
Emma is lucky to be surrounded with a family that moves mountains for her. She is loved, cared for by her sister Jenna, and her Mom and Dad who fight for the best medical care possible. This family truly demonstrates the spirit of Cecily's Closet in their devotion to Emma's wellness and quality of life. Her health and happiness reign supreme. Thank you PaintGreen for providing the pretty lingering lilac walls, the perfect foundation for Emma's calming and tranquil space. Thank you to Bobby for rolling up his sleeves on the day of the install to ensure everything was installed smoothly. And thank you to Kelly and Sandra (and Sandra's amazing Dad), for keeping this project on track from start to finish. Thank you to our donors for making this room makeover happen for Emma and her family. We know Emma and her adoring dog will be very happy in her new, cool, room! It is sassy and fun, just like Emma! Taylor Inspired Dream Room
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Thank you to the National Charity League for helping us complete our latest room makeover for sweet and spunky, Emma. National Charity League, Inc. (NCL, Inc.) is a non-profit national organization of mother and daughter members in Chapters across the United States. National Charity League was established in 1925, when a group of women founded the organization in Los Angeles. They supported the American Red Cross by making layettes and assembling food baskets for the hungry during the holidays. The women engaged their daughters and by 1938, the daughters formed their own group. In 1947, all groups united to become the nation’s first mother-daughter charity. National Charity League expanded its program beyond philanthropic work to include educational and cultural activities. National Charity League was reorganized and incorporated in 1958 to become National Charity League, Inc. Teens Helping Teens, Volunteers Make an Impact
Making a Difference for Children with Special Needs
Cecily's Closet was lucky enough to partner with the Seaside Chapter National Charity League on what we hope is the first of many room makeovers. Thank you to Lexi Castillo, VP of Philanthropy for this class for overseeing the big project and allowing our organization to partner with them. On the day of the install we had eight Juniors in high-school, supported by five generous moms to make this Taylor Swift inspired room come to life! But there was plenty of work before the install that required the group to roll up their sleeves and dive in! First, they helped Emma go through her room and decide what needed to stay, and what could possible be stored or parted with. This was no simple task! Then, they came back and organized and helped clean-up her crafting room... all while getting ideas about what Emma wanted her dream room to be.
Led by Project Lead Kelly and National Charity League Project Lead Sandra, the team was in excellent hands. They shopped, assembled, cleaned, organized and managed every small detail, even down to lining Emma's new mirror with purple glitter tape. Thank you to all the Moms and daughters for the smiles, hard-work and love that was shown to Emma and her family throughout the process. The team even surprised Emma's older sister on her birthday day with flowers and a special set of new purses and goodies from The Sak! A Family Affair
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Cecily's Closet
