Circus Comes To Norwood Park 7-Year-Old With Leukemia

(CBS) -- A lot of kids may dream about running away to join the circus, but this afternoon the circus came to a 7-year-old boy in Norwood Park.

It was in November of last year when Jon Staszel and his family went to the Ringling Brothers circus when it came to town - a month before his family learned he had leukemia.

"So it's kind of ironic that the circus came to us this year," said Penny Stazel.

Penny Staszel is the mother of 7-year-old Jon. And Jon's bedroom has just been redone by volunteers from the circus: a tiger painted on the closet wall. A mural of performers on another wall.

"When Jon first was diagnosed he had neuropathy. It was a side effect to his medication. So he had a lot of trouble walking. So there was a long time that he had to be carried to the bathroom.

"So he spent a lot of time in his room... so this really was something special for him because this was a room he spent a lot of time in while he was sick."

Jon says he likes his room's new look.

"I'm going to invite my friends and play with them - in my room."

Jon is a second grader at Oriole Park Elementary School.

The redecoration of his room was financed by Feld, the parent company of Ringling Brothers Circus, and coordinated by volunteers from Special Spaces, a non-profit organization.