Matthew's Story
Matthew is a sweet eight year old boy with a beautiful nature. He has overcome many challenges with the support of his loving parents and his two younger brothers. His parents have been described to us as nothing short of amazing. They are extremely dedicated to providing Matthew with the love and guidance he needs to thrive despite his medical, physical and psychiatric challenges.
The team at The UPS Store opened their hearts and rolled up their sleeves to ensure that Matthew and his younger brother Viktor received a makeover fit for two sweet little boys. The goal was to provide a sanctuary and safe place where both boys could decompress and facilitate a sensory release - away from the stimuli of the outer world. The team incorporated his love of music to create a calming space, as well a canopy tents so the boys could have their own "private" spaces! These were a huge hit by the way - with boy boys immediately jumping on the beds to give them a test spin! Like most little boys, Matthew loves to play! His favorite activity is to play pretend - whether it be a builder, policeman, military man, postman, school bus driver or teacher, he has a vivid imagination! He also enjoys watching TV and hanging out with his Mom, Dad and brothers, Viktor 5 and Mikael 2. Born at 35 weeks, Matthew's early years brought multiple hospitalizations including: Meningitis at 5 months, Pneumonia at 12 months, 24 months, and every year since. Matthew was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD at 4 years of age. Despite countless medications, Matthew's condition is still not under control. His young life has been dotted with psychiatric admissions, visual and auditory hallucinations, learning disorders, compulsive behaviors and developmental challenges - but at the end of the day Matthew is a survivor. He is blessed to have a family that see his challenges and lend the support he needs so he can live a happy and fulfilled life and achieve his goals. We are excited to spotlight the challenges of living with Bipolar disorder and to show how with love, support and devoted family assistance that anything is possible. This family exemplifies the spirit of Cecily's Closet because of the intense focus they put into Matthew's therapies and their constant vigilance with his medical condition. If it were not for their advocacy, Matthew would not be doing as well as he is! We are so grateful to the volunteers from The UPS Store for making this room happen for Matthew and his brother. Matthew & Viktor's Cars Room! |
Thank you to The UPS Store for not only working on dear Matthew's room - but for providing Cecily's Closet with a grant this year that made our Mission of Giving program possible! Without the support from The UPS Foundation, The UPS Store, and the amazing employees who volunteer their time and talent - Cecily's Closet would never have been able to complete 43 room makeovers in just over three years! In addition to the help with our room makeover program, volunteers from The UPS Store manage our belly band program and help with our recycling of durable medical equipment! Christina led the charge on Matthew's room. Her big heart and cool style yielded spectacular results! Thanks to Jon Ray at Paint Green for the beautiful and perfect paint job. The Dunn-Edwards paint color, Island Blue, provided the peaceful, tranquil space the team was looking for! Thank you to newcomer artist to Cecily's Closet, Arielle Namenyi of Relillustrations for the custom Disney Cars art was a beautiful touch that made each boy feel so special! It provided the foundation for the room design and we couldn't be happier with the end result! Arielle also rolled up her sleeves and helped with all aspects of the install - from wielding a drill to saving me with her beautiful photography skills! Thank you to Mattress Company Direct for donating the beautiful beds, mattresses and nightstands for this car themed room! We can't say enough nice things about Mark and his crew! They are always providing Cecily's Closet with top-notch service and we see no reason to shop anywhere! Thanks for being our favorite furniture store in San Diego. We encourage you to check them out first! You will be surprised at their inventory and thrilled with their personalized service. And thank you to San Diego Family Magazine for donating so many toys for not only Matthew, but his two younger brothers, too. The toys were a big hit! |
Cecily's Closet
