Orland Mom-Daughter Duo In Cancer Fight Get A Helping Hand, New Roof

ORLAND PARK, IL — An Orland Park mother-daughter duo deep in a fight with cancer were dealt another tough blow recently, when they learned they'd need a new roof on their home. With the help of firefighters who hold the family close, and companies willing to donate time and materials, their problem is nearly solved just weeks later.

Danielle and Isla Dorsey had no idea the roof—just several years old—on their Orland Park home was in such poor condition, it was practically coming off. It needed to be replaced, badly.

"This would be devastating news to anyone, let alone a single mom going through what we are going through," Dorsey wrote on social media.

Dorsey's daughter Isla, 4, was diagnosed in May 2022 with rhabdomyosarcoma in her left sinuses, which later spread to a lymph node on each side, and both of her lungs. Many weeks spent in hospitals, rather than their home. It was easy to miss the condition of the roof over their heads.

"Last month, a neighbor knocked on the door to ask me if I knew my roof was coming off," Dorsey told Patch. "I didn't realize the extent of it until I had someone come out and look at it."

Nonprofit Project Fire Buddies heard of the news, and set help in motion. The Oak Forest-based, volunteer-led effort by local fire departments to show support for children battling critical illness, coordinated the roof replacement—everything from building materials to labor.

On Thursday morning—in the midst of a 10-day stretch marking the longest Isla has been home from the hospital since her diagnosis—the Dorseys got a brand-new roof over their heads.

"To say I cried when I heard all of this is an understatement," Dorsey shared on social media. "The amount of relief I felt, and feel, not having to worry about something like putting a new roof on my house right now is incredible."

The support from the organization touched Dorsey, who received a similar gift from them in December 2022, when Project Fire Buddies partnered with the Lights and Ladders Brigade to decorate the Dorsey home for the holidays.

"Project Fire Buddies has been by our sides through the good and bad days, when we need them and when we just want to celebrate the good days," Dorsey said. "I can't begin to tell you all how much these people mean to us, we have some of the most wonderful friends for the rest of our lives in these special people. We are so blessed in the crappiest of times and we owe it all to so many people and organizations."

Project Fire Buddies CEO Kurt DeGroot said they were eager to help the pair.

"Their world is constantly upside-down, changing, they don’t know which way to go," DeGroot said. "When you have a situation like this you’re worrying about—they had shingles blowing off their house.

"I imagine the stress of that, even without what they’re going through."

First started in 2016, Project Fire Buddies has expanded now to 30 different departments including south suburban Oak Lawn, Palos, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Midlothian, Homewood, Lockport, Lemont, New Lenox, Evergreen Park, Frankfort and Country Club Hills.

It was the Orland Park chapter who stepped in to help make the new roof happen.

"The Orland chapter took the reins on this," DeGroot said, noting Orland firefighter Mark Hogan as the driving force behind the effort. "He hit it out of the park."

Hogan first heard about the Dorsey's situation several weeks ago. The Orland Park Project Fire Buddies chapter regularly checks in on Isla, staying involved with her throughout her battle.

"We try to be a part of her life," Hogan told Patch. "Christmas presents, birthday presents, end of treatment. I just want to bring a good day to them."

It was a text from Dorsey that alerted Hogan of the problem. Due to improper installation when an addition was built on to the house, the roof had been improperly installed and was "sliding off."

Hogan didn't believe at first just how bad of condition the roof was in.

"I didn’t believe how bad it was, but drove by it and oh my goodness, it really was sliding off," he told Patch.

He put in some calls, and got a little help from friends. Frankfort firefighter Jim Jensen, who also owns remodeling company Jenico, Inc., volunteered to donate the labor. Beacon Building Productswould pitch in the materials from its Oak Forest location.

"Within the next 2 days, he had his friend Jim from the roofing company come out and temporarily fix it, until they could figure out a plan to replace the roof," Dorsey told Patch.

"And boy, did they come up with a plan."

Within two weeks, the plan was in motion, and Dorsey could breathe a sigh of relief.

"I’ve never been one to ask for help, and it’s really hard to give things up and let go a little bit, and accept the help," Dorsey told Patch. "But they make it so easy, it’s not even a question of what we need, it’s 'we know you need this, and we’re doing it for you.'

"For me, that’s been a weight lifted in itself, they never make me ask. We have had quite a few organizations step up for us when we need it the most."

Hogan said there was no doubt he'd do whatever he could to help them.

"We came together to help her out, so she’s not worried about the roof," Hogan said. "I need her to worry about Isla."

The thought went a long way with Dorsey.

"I never realized what our local fire department does, you know outside of saving lives, but let me tell you the Orland firefighters show up," Dorsey shared on social media. "They show up every time, whether it is to put lights up at Christmas or a new roof, or to help put together a new trampoline. These men and women are here for their community, in so many more ways than saving lives, and we are so, so grateful to have some of the very best."

Jensen said he was happy to help, and bumped the Dorsey home to the top of a long list of clients needing work completed as the winter lifts.

"These people have enough going on in their life, they don’t need to worry about this," Jensen told Patch.

"We always push things like this to the top of the list, especially when it could cause damage to the house, especially when you’re sleeping right underneath this, and it could cause damage. We just bumped it up to the top of the list."

It's perfect timing, as it's the first time in nearly a year that the mother and daughter are spending so many consecutive days at home. Isla will have one more overnight chemotherapy session soon, but is nearing the completion of her treatment. Dorsey is soaking up every minute they have together at home.

"She’s being a kid, and it’s so wonderful to see," Dorsey said. "She’s been getting to play, we can go out to eat, sit on the couch if we want to, we don’t have to be go-go-go all the time. We don’t have to be gone away from the house for extended periods.

"We’ve just been getting to be us, and be where we want to be. It’s been really special."