Many groups and vendors came together in Willingboro during March to help a young boy with cancer get his dream room. Five year-old John Marandola dreams of being a firefighter one day. In the fall of 2013, John and his family were at the Marlton Fall Festival and made instant friends with the members of the Evesham Fire Department. This friendship led to John, or "John John" as he's known as by the firefighters, being made an honorary member of the Evesham Fire Department. Evesham Firefighter Jim Heisler then lead an effort to remake John's bedroom, along with his sister Hope's bedroom.

In May of 2013 doctor's discovered that John had anaplastic ganglioglioma, a rare but aggressive malignant tumor on his brain. Doctors immediately performed emergency surgery to remove a tumor half the size of his head. It’s since grown back to a smaller degree and John is showing symptoms. Doctor’s didn't have any kind of expectation that they could give John's family. They had originally told them three to nine months, and that was over 18 months ago. One of the effects of John’s current tumor is that it hinders his balance and getting up and down staircases can be dangerous.

Firefighter Heisler then spearheaded an effort to give John a firefighter themed bedroom on the first floor of his family's Willingboro home. To get the project started, the firefighters partnered with the Corner Kingdom Project, a New-Hampshire based organization that specializes in building dream rooms for children facing extreme health challenges. With the help of the Corner Kingdom Project, they were able to raise over $10,000 to help remodel the room for John, and to remodel his sister Hope's bedroom.

Firefighter Heisler then reached out to the Willingboro Fire Department to include the department in helping with the remodeling project. During the weekend of March 28th and 29th, the Corner Kingdom Project provided lodging and day-trips for John and his family. This gave the many groups involved in the project the ability to work in the home without disturbing the family. While the family was out of the home, many volunteers worked throughout the weekend to complete the project, often working late into the night. Several Willingboro Firefighters assisted with the project, and the department's B Platoon was on hand for the return of John and his family to see the bedrooms for the first time.

Needless to say John, Hope, and his parents were overwhelmed with the work that was done to both bedrooms. John's room was transformed into his own personal firehouse, including a fire-truck bed, a slide, and firefighting memorabilia. Hope's room was given a princess theme and included new paint, wall murals, and a chandelier.

The project would not have been possible without the help of many groups and vendors. You can see a full list of vendors and photos by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page. You can also read more about the John's battle with cancer and the bedroom makeover project by visiting the following pages on Facebook:

The Corner Kingdom Project, Inc.

and

John John Brain Cancer Superhero

(All Photos for this article are courtesy of Catch The Action Photography and The Corner Kingdom Project)