You’ll often find your Coronado neighbor, Kelly O’Donnell, at Coronado Coffee Company at the Ferry Landing sipping on a honey cinnamon latte with oat milk. As the Executive Director of Designing Dreams, Kelly can work anywhere, but prefers to find new spaces in town. I can only imagine how working with pediatric cancer patients can weigh on your spirit, but Kelly is positive and passionate as she talks about Designing Dreams.
About Designing Dreams
In 2020, Kelly took over the organization from college students who started the non-profit in Wisconsin. Kelly moved the organization to San Diego after the pandemic and has been committed to its success here ever since.
Designing Dreams Organization is a 501(c)(3) charity that supports pediatric cancer patients. Kelly explains that rigorous cancer treatments leave many kids too immunocompromised to leave their homes. “Designing Dreams transforms the bedrooms of kids fighting cancer to create an uplifting healing space for children battling loneliness, isolation, and the limitations brought on by their fight against cancer.”
Designing Dreams & Local Partnerships
Kelly is very proud of the partnerships the organization has made in the San Diego and Coronado communities. “We partner with Rady Children’s Hospital, and the child-life, social work, and oncology team there identify children going through a particularly difficult treatment course and require extended periods of time isolated at home – we see a lot of replapses, bone-marrow transplants, and amputations – and work primarily with lower-income families with single parents.”
The bedroom transformation recipients are selected by the child-life specialist at Rady Children’s Hospital and often need meaningful renovation, reorganization, and optimization of their living spaces. The bedrooms are designed by professional interior designers, functional space experts, and professional organizers.
Kelly says, “We partner with professional interior designers and we are fortunate enough to work with some here on the island. We had Bungalow 56 and Nicolls Construction working on one of our bedrooms and really coming together to help us.”
Kelly explains how the process works. “We’re the middleman between the interior designers and the hospital. We pay for it and we handle the project management of it. The professional interior designers come in and redesign the space. They donate their time and expertise; then the material is paid for through the charity.”
Photos of Yami’s Room Before Designing Dreams:
Yami’s Bedroom Experience
When Kelly approached Bungalow 56, their answer was an immediate yes. Karyn Molina, Principal Designer, knew they wanted to be a part of it. Karyn shares, “We were partnered with a little girl, Yami, and her family in El Cajon. Yami is an amazing crochet artist and has made all these little animals. She sells them locally at swap meets and for fundraisers. They are just adorable!”
Yami shares a bedroom with her brother so Bungalow 56 got creative for the mixed gender space. Additionally, they had an enclosed shed area that Nicolls Construction was also able to work on for the project. Karyn explains, “Nicolls Construction donated all of the materials and the services to enclose the back patio area to make it nicer. Then we put two desks back there, one for her and one for her brother. We also created this big huge yarn station.”
Photo of Yami’s Room After Designing Dreams:
Karyn ends the conversation glowing, “We loved the family and hearing Yami’s story. It’s great to hear how well she’s doing and she’s just such a creative little girl. Kelly was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. We felt really honored to be asked to be a part of it.”
Support Yami’s Creations. 
Beyond the Bedrooms
Kelly talks about how it’s more than just a bedroom space. “Childhood cancer does not just affect the child physically, the emotional hardships can be just as traumatic as the disease itself. Designing Dreams model of bedroom transformations is grounded in research on how the physical space a child is in can combat the social-emotional side effects of cancer.”
It is a multilayered process. She elaborates, “We consider several aspects that promote emotional well-being such as; capitalizing on natural light in the room, decluttering the space, color choices, and design elements that evoke positive memories and sensory experiences. Whatever hobbies the child enjoys, we make room for them such as a ballet barre in a bedroom, a hockey rink in a basement, and other components that engage the children in play.
“Our bedroom transformations are there for the child every day as they battle cancer. They serve as a sanctuary for healing and recovery on the difficult days of treatment and engage the children in play on the days they feel good. They let the kids be kids, even in the most dire and isolating circumstances.”
What the Families Say
Kelly shares some of the feedback she has received from families that have received help from Designing Dreams.
“We are filled with renewed hope by imagining our daughter growing up in her new room. You have really helped us feel not alone in this battle. It restores our faith in humanity that people care about our daughter enough to go so far above & beyond to bring smiles to our faces.” – Lia’s Mom
“This room transformation has literally changed not only Keely’s life but our whole family. I had no idea how much a space could make a difference in our emotional and physical wellbeing. What you do is so important for the health of children with cancer.” – Keely’s mom
“We have shed SO many tears and this helps replace tears with smiles and joy! Seeing Haylee’s face light up the moment she saw her room and continuing to watch her enjoying spending time in there each day makes my heart so full!” – Haylee’s mom
“Bebo has missed out on a lot of his childhood fighting cancer and it has returned. He craves to be home and have some comfortable space while he continues to fight! Our family is so grateful as we are so exhausted from all the emotions of cancer coming back and 5 years of treatment.” – Bebo’s mom
Meet Kelly & Support Designing Dreams
Come meet Kelly and support designing dreams! Lil’ Piggy’s Bar-B-Que & Designing Dreams will host their 2nd Annual End-of-Summer Bar-B-Q on Thursday September 19. 20% of proceeds from Lil’ Piggy’s and Coronado Coffee Co from 4 to 8 pm will be donated to Designing Dreams.
You may also support by attending the Hope for the Holidays Gala on Friday, December 13, from 6 to 11 pm at BLDG 177 in Liberty Station. Tickets will go on sale October 1 at www.designingdreamsusa.org.
Designing Dreams is currently raising funds for Brittany’s Bedroom Transformation.
If you are interested in helping in other ways, email Kelly at [email protected].
