Nonprofit surprises children with decorated hospital rooms

Dec My Room travels near and far to decorate hospital rooms and offer a little comfort to those who have to stay in hospital rooms for weeks or months.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — No one wants to spend time in a hospital room, but if you have to, why not make it look like your room at home?

That is what "Dec My Room" does for patients around the nation. The nonprofit travels near and far to decorate hospital rooms and offer a little comfort to those who have to stay in hospital rooms for weeks or months.

When Susan and Kendall Plank, who are the founders of Dec My Room, heard about a family friend going to the hospital, they wanted to help.

"We asked if we could decorate a room," said Kendall.

They have now decorated hundreds of rooms across the nation over the past 15 years.

"It is incredibly rewarding for us," said Susan. "We are just so happy. We always do quilts, make it as comfortable as possible, nice, comfy blankets."

On Wednesday, they stopped by Dell Children's Medical Center to decorate rooms.

"Everyone of them has been just a joy to be around," said Kendall. "You see them lighten up, and everyone gets super excited, and it just makes a huge difference."

Shaundrea Atkinson and her son Messiah have been in the hospital for two months.

"It is hard being away from home," said Atkinson.

But when he saw his room with Spiderman decorations, he lit up.

"To see him when he walked in, and he was like 'Spiderman!'" said Atkinson.