A special space for Hailee

Special Spaces of Knoxville is transforming this former garage into a very special bedroom, custom designed for Hailee Green, an 8-year-old Shelbyville girl who suffers from Sanfilippo Syndrome. The special tempered window was installed last week to replace a garage door which formerly occupied the space. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Click to enlarge]

Hailee Green is in for a real treat thanks to Special Spaces, a Knoxville-based charitable organization that's giving the 8-year-old Shelbyville girl a palace all her own.

A palace in the form of a special bedroom, that is, decorated to perfection based on Hailee's needs and wants.

Hailee suffers from an extremely rare genetic disorder called Sanfilippo Syndrome: Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), an incurable disease that severely limits her both physically and mentally.

Vanderbilt Children's Hospital determined Hailee's condition four years ago after her mother, Misty Sudberry, realized something wasn't right with her daughter.

Symptoms of Sanfilippo Syndrome, which occurs in approximately one in 70,000 births, include hearing loss, vision stigmatism, lagging development and extreme restlessness.

"The syndrome is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait," according to the Medline Plus website. "That means both your parents must pass you the defective gene in order for you to get this disease."

Special Spaces holds the philosophy that each child, especially those with critical illnesses who spend an extensive amount of time in their bedrooms, needs a sanctuary all their own. It was founded for the development and construction of special bedrooms for children with special needs like Hailee.

After meeting with Hailee and her family, Special Spaces chose the young lady to be the recipient of a bedroom makeover. The new room, both functionally and cosmetically appealing, will replace the family's former garage.

With the help and donations of local businesses, church groups, individual contributions and volunteers, Special Spaces makes over bedrooms from start to finish in one or two work days.

In Hailee's case, Special Spaces board member Chris Christopoulos, with Knoxville-based Christopoulos and Kennedy general contractors, was instrumental in making this room a reality, along with Fayetteville-based Amana Corp., Shelbyville-based All Seasons Heating and Knoxville-based Anderson Lumber, which donated materials.

Hailee's father, Donald Green, drove from his home in Bowling Green, Ky., last Saturday, the first of two scheduled work days, to help on the structural end of the project. This included replacing a garage door with a special tempered glass window which was paid for by Calvary Baptist Church.

The Special Spaces crew also put up sheet rock, installed a connecting door from the former garage to Sudberry's bedroom, built a closet and worked on heating and cooling units.

Saturday is reserved for the completion of Hailee's room; they'll work on cosmetic finishing that includes paint, new furniture, decorations and electronics.

Often times, Special Spaces caters to a theme chosen by the child. In Hailee's case, however, the finished product will be a complete surprise.

"They haven't told me anything," said Sudberry. "We told them she likes music, and she likes pink, purple, blues and greens and yellows, but it's all going to be a complete surprise to us."

For more information on Special Spaces, or to volunteer, visit www.specialspaces.org or call (865) 659-8531.