CN Cycle for CHEO

Ibrahim

Diagnosis
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Symptoms
Severe fatigue, weight loss, hair thinning, coughing fits, and fungal infections in the lungs.
Treatment Plan
Intensive chemotherapy for seven months and supportive care for complications.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Ibrahim hasn’t shared yet but loves soccer and biking!
What do you do for fun?
"I love playing soccer, swimming, and video games. And I had so much fun riding a tricycle around the hospital!"
Happy CHEO moment:
"On Valentine’s Day, I gave roses to all the nurses, and they loved it! That was one of my favorite days."

Ibrahim is a happy-go-lucky eight-year-old with a permanent grin and inquisitive eyes who loves his cats, swimming, playing soccer with his friends and video games. If you just met him today, you might think he’s led an easy and comfortable life. 

The truth is he’s been through a lot, and then some. 

It all started in September 2022 when he and his siblings fell ill during the first month of school. While Ibrahim’s brothers and sisters quickly recovered, his condition steadily declined. By October, he didn’t have the energy to walk to the bus stop and suffered from intense coughing fits. This prompted his mother, Heyam, to book an appointment with a doctor who indicated a probable chest infection and provided an inhaler. 

Sadly, this was of little help, and instead of getting better, Ibrahim’s condition worsened. “November came, and he could barely even move…he lost so much weight, and I noticed that his hair was becoming thinner,” Heyam says. “So, I called the doctor and asked to get some bloodwork done.” 

Shortly after, on December 12, 2022, Ibrahim was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), an aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow. The news was devastating to Heyam and Ibrahim’s father, Nicolas. 

“We both got very emotional, we couldn’t believe it was true,” Heyam says.  

Because of the aggressive nature of his cancer, Ibrahim began chemotherapy right away. The regimen was intense, requiring long admissions, only getting respite at home for a couple of days before having to go back for another round of chemo. This was only the beginning of a difficult seven-month long journey. With chemotherapy weakening his immune system, Ibrahim dealt with a long list of complications. 

“His lungs started growing fungus, he had a blood infection, he had another infection in his arm, which became about three times its size so he couldn’t move it anymore,” Heyam says. 

The incessant needle pokes and constant tests and surgeries made going back to CHEO after only a few days at home that much more difficult. 

“I swear, it was the hardest thing when he would tell me he didn’t want to go back,” Heyam says, holding back tears. “He would say ‘I don’t want to get poked, I don’t want to get surgery, I don’t want to go.’” 

The first three months were the hardest, but after that, Heyam and Nicolas saw a change in his mood, and it was all thanks to the Child Life program. 

“Maryse, the child life specialist, kept trying to get through to him, and at first he wasn’t giving her anything,” Heyam says. “He eventually got more comfortable with her and on month three, he started going to the playroom, but he only accepted to go with her,” she adds, with a smile. 

Eventually, he was interacting and playing with Child Life volunteers, nurses, and all personnel he came across, even getting into water gun and Nerf gun fights with them. The playful boy who had seemingly disappeared was back. 

“On Valentine’s Day, he wanted to do something for the nurses,” Heyam recalls with a smile. “I got him a bunch of roses, and when a nurse would come in, he would give them a rose and a card. He loved every second of it.” 

Finally, in June 2023, Ibrahim was able to ring the bell—his cancer was finally in remission. 

Looking back, Heyam is filled with gratitude for the staff and services at CHEO and the treatment Ibrahim and her family received, making the decision to join the McDonald’s Dream Team for the 2025 CN Cycle for CHEO an easy one. 

“I can’t thank them enough, the nurses and all the staff…if it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I would have been able to survive what we’ve been through,” Heyam says. “When they called and asked us about CN Cycle, I was like ‘Yes, we’ll do it.’” 

It is only fitting that Ibrahim will participate in the CN Cycle for CHEO. Near the end of his treatment, he would bike around the hospital on a tricycle and say hello to all staff he encountered on his way to the cafeteria to grab some pickles. Now, he will get to bike around on a real bicycle and feel the fresh air on his face. Talk about a full “cycle” moment.

Stories of the 2025 McDonald’s Dream Team