Friendship Circle

Extreme Makeover: Special Needs Edition

Liliya Bromberg is a charismatic and sweet young woman whose energetic laughter fills Friendship Circle. Liliya is 21 years old. She was born in Russia and diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as a baby. When Liliya was four, her parents sacrificed a lot to bring her to the United States so she could receive better medical attention. Since 1997 Liliya has been participating in Friendship Circle activities. Over 100 volunteers have been inspired by Liliya's upbeat personality. Never sad or upset she is a shining example and role model for her many friends.

The News

Six weeks ago, Liliya and her family received a devastating blow. She was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma. When we heard this news all of us at Friendship Circle, who have become her family, pulled together to do everything possible to help out. Volunteers were arranged to spend time with Liliya and advocates worked with the parents and doctors to get the best medical care possible.

What Liliya wants most: Independence

For the last 17 years, Liliya and her family have lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Oak Park, Michigan.  Liliya is completely wheelchair‐bound and the 400 square-foot apartment has not, and does not meet her needs. As a 21 year old woman, Liliya is moving into a stage in life where she craves space and independence. Liliya needed a space of her own.

It Takes A Village

We started looking at the possibility of creating a “home away from home” for Liliya by renovating a studio apartment in her apartment complex for her own personal use. When we started this project we knew we would need a lot of help. But never in our wildest dreams did we imagine how much help would arrive. Overnight companies offered any help they could give. Princeton Management provided the studio, Belfor,Remlinger Architekts and Partners in Design took on the task of restoring the studio. Once the heavy work is done Ciot, SCIFlooring, Shaw, and Huntington Technologies are helping with flooring and wiring. The community did not stop at building Liliya her own space. LaFontaine Automotive has generously offered her parent’s van a complete overhaul service to keep it up and running for years to come. Working with our generous team of supporters, Liliya’s space will have a wheelchair accessible bathroom, smart TV with internet and Skype, a kitchenette, a Murphy bed, massage/therapy chair, arts & crafts area, and much more. We can not thank our community enough for pitching in and making a difference in the life of a young woman. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Day One of Project Liliya