OPACC Holiday Sponsors

Ellie was born on February 25th, 2023. After years of dreaming of growing our family it finally happened and we were absolutely in love with our sweet girl. When she was about a year old we noticed she had some developmental delays. She was 2 years old when we also noticed repeat ear infections, sinus infections and hearing issues. In early 2025 Ellie saw an ENT who told us Ellie needed Tubes. In November of 2025 Ellie got those tubes surgically inserted. In January we noticed that she was still having issues and infections. On January 7th we also welcomed our daughter Willow. We saw the ENT again soon after who said she must need her adenoids out. Issues continued, but now her nose was bleeding very frequently and we could see a physical growth in her nose. We visited doctors, clinics and Hospitals countless times. We got turned away, told it was an ENT issue and given antibiotics. Finally shortly after her 3rd birthday we were fed up for our sweet girl and went to the children's hospital. She had a horrible nose bleed and we were not leaving without answers. The ENT agreed to see us and admitted Ellie right away. Within the next few days she had scans, exploratory surgery and biopsies. On April 16th we got a hospital day pass to go to sick kids for a pre-booked appointment with a pediatrician.  At this appointment Ellie got diagnosed with Autism. The very next day on April 17th was the worst day of our lives. Ellie got diagnosed with Cancer: Stage 3, intermediate risk Rhabdomyosarcoma. We found out that Elllie would undergo 1.5 years of Chemotherapy and 28 rounds of radiation. Within a few days Ellie had surgery to put in her port and began chemotherapy. After over 3 weeks in hospital we finally got to go home. A few weeks later we found out that Ellie had to go to the US for proton radiation treatment that was not available in Canada. We had to leave within 2 months. On July 11th we left for Florida for treatment and stayed until September 7th. This put me and my husband both in a position of not working as I am self employed and he is full time employed. To date Ellie has gone through 7 rounds of chemotherapy and 28 rounds of radiation but still has a long road to go. The past 6 months have been filled with massive amounts of heartbreak. We are terrified. We hate that Ellie has to go through this. But we are also very hopeful and grateful for the community who has come together for us. 

Ruhi is a cheerful, imaginative and resilient 8-year-old girl who has shown incredible strength at such a young age. In 2023, our family received the devastating news that Ruhi had a brain tumour. She underwent major brain surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation treatment. It was a challenging and emotional journey for our entire family, but through it all, Ruhi continued to show us what true courage looks like. She has completed her cancer treatment and is continuing her recovery, taking one little step at a time. Today, she is enjoying being a child again — going to school, making memories, exploring new activities and finding happiness in the little things. Ruhi has a wonderful imagination and loves all things unicorns and Peppa Pig. She especially enjoys building LEGO characters, where she can let her creativity run wild and bring her little ideas to life. As parents, after everything she has been through, our biggest wish is to see her enjoy the simple magic of childhood. We would love for her to experience the excitement of Christmas morning, unwrap something that makes her eyes light up and enjoy the happiness that every child deserves. We are incredibly grateful to OPACC for thinking of children like Ruhi and bringing joy, hope and beautiful memories to families touched by cancer. Your kindness makes a difference beyond words. Thank you for considering Ruhi and helping make her Christmas a little more magical.

Ben was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour at the age of 4 months. He first had a drain to remove some of the extra swelling from his brain and then the larger surgery to remove the tumour. He's proud of his scars now at the age of 9 and as his mom, I'll never forget when the surgeon told me that she would make his incision with the shape of an "s" so his hair would have a chance to grow and cover it. In that moment, as I handed off my baby to the incredibly talented team of physicians and nurses, I just wanted him to come out of that operating room alive. He's grown into an amazingly courageous boy who loves building, creating (rescues all of the cardboard boxes from our recycling), cooking and trying many different sports. We are so grateful for the ongoing support of so many. Thank-you for reading Ben's story and have a Merry Christmas!

My adorable 7 year-old son (he'll be 8 in January), Benjamin (Benji) Jason-Alboim, was diagnosed with life-threatening, rare childhood cancer (hepatoblastoma liver cancer) on his first birthday. My husband, Jesse, has had cancer himself, several major surgeries for tumours, plus has recently developed disability, and is waiting for further investigation into new issues that have developed. Because Benji's and Jesse's immune systems had been compromised, we had been mostly isolating at home for a long time, so Benji was unable to go to preschool, socialize, or go out much to have fun. He is beyond excited (but also somewhat anxious) to have started grade two this past Fall! He especially LOVES playing with his friends. Benji has been an absolute super hero - bravely fighting cancer and the side effects of surgeries and harsh chemotherapy (some of which are unfortunately long-term/permanent), having Childhood Apraxia of Speech, autism, anxiety, recent kidney issues, and all the stress and upheaval with my husband's health, and the sudden death of a close, adored family member this year, while being the most fun-loving, charming, engaging, sweet, affectionate, thoughtful, adventurous, curious, quirky, hilarious, and endlessly creative little boy. Christmas is Benji’s favourite time of year! Our family faces significant financial barriers - we haven't been working due to the cancer and health struggles for both Benji and my husband, so we would be immensely grateful for anything. Happy holidays!!

Our little girl was diagnosed with unilateral retinoblastoma (a rare form of eye cancer) at just under four months old. What should have been a joyful time of watching our baby grow and reach new milestones suddenly became a journey filled with hospital visits, medical procedures, and uncertainty. She is currently receiving treatment at SickKids, including intra-arterial chemotherapy, in an effort to save her eye and preserve as much vision as possible. Each treatment requires general anesthesia, which means our little baby has to go through the process of being put to sleep and waking up from anesthesia every time. As parents, watching such a young baby go through cancer treatment has been incredibly emotional and challenging. Despite everything, she continues to show us how strong and resilient she is. We try our best to keep her world as comfortable, happy, and normal as possible, even with frequent hospital appointments and treatments. Now just over five months old, our little girl still has a long journey ahead of her. We hope she continues to grow stronger, keep fighting, and fill her days with smiles and happiness. We will continue to stand by her every step of the way.

On April 24, 2025, our world was turned upside down when our sweet two-year-old daughter, Hailey, was diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Just one month later, her diagnosis was reclassified to Standard High Risk, and what was expected to be a short stay in Ottawa quickly became a year-long relocation for her frontline treatment, more than 2.5 hours away from our home and support system. Although we were grateful to return home this past May, her diagnosis remains a part of our daily lives as Hailey continues her 2.5-year treatment plan with daily chemotherapy and monthly appointments at CHEO. Through every needle poke, scan, hospital stay, and treatment, Hailey has faced each challenge with remarkable courage, resilience, and a smile that continues to inspire everyone around her. This Christmas, Hailey's greatest wish is for a "big girl room" of her very own. After spending so much time away from home during treatment, having a special space where she can play, dream, and simply be a kid would mean the world to her. We are incredibly grateful for any support that helps bring a little extra joy, comfort, and magic to Hailey this Christmas as we continue navigating this journey together. Thank you for helping make her holiday season a little brighter.

Starting at just 5 years old, Dominic faced a battle that most people never have to endure. He is now a 2-time cancer survivor, having successfully fought and overcome medulloblastoma, a cancerous brain tumor, at ages 5 and 14. Now entering adulthood, Dominic continues to face challenges stemming from the long-term effects of his treatments. Despite his determination and lifelong dream of serving in the military, he was unable to pursue that path because of his medical history. He also faces daily obstacles related to a learning disability, hearing loss, and vision impairments, making it difficult to find meaningful employment and establish his place in the world. Despite these challenges, Dominic continues to show remarkable resilience, perseverance, and strength. This Christmas, his greatest wish is to create lasting memories with his family and his two brothers, whose love and support have helped him through every obstacle. Together, they are reminded that the greatest gift of all is family, hope, and the time they share with one another.

Hi, we are the Moscato family. Joel, our middle child, was diagnosed in 2022 at age 9 with stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma. He went through 5 months of intense treatment, where he was hospitalized every time. Thankfully, this is his fourth year in remission and he's doing well. I, his mother, was diagnosed 2 years after with the same type of cancer and I also went through intense treatment. We still deal with complications from the treatment, but we're doing very well and we're very grateful. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

On Sept 28th, 2026 we were faced with every parent’s worst nightmare. Our son was diagnosed with a large brainstem tumour at only 20 months old. Hearing those words was an absolute shock, and our lives changed in an instant. On October 7th, Caleb underwent a major brain surgery to obtain a sample of the tumour to be sent for extensive testing to determine our treatment options. Due to the location of the tumour, it is inoperable and cannot be removed, which means our main treatment options will be chemotherapy and clinical trials. After the surgery, Caleb spent 2 days in ICU, 3 days on the surgical unit at CHEO, and has since been recovering at home while we await the test results that will determine what our future looks like. We are currently in a very uncertain time, with no idea of the road that lies ahead of us, but we do know it will be long and difficult.

Our wishlist is made up of items to help foster Caleb’s imagination, as he starts to develop an interest in pretend play. One of Caleb’s favorite activities right now is making his mom and dad coffee with the coffeemaker toy he received last year for his first Christmas, so we would like to expand on that this Christmas with a play kitchen set up. We have also asked for some toys that will help him with his fine motor skills, which is something that is impacted by his tumour, some functional items for his room at home, and some portable books and activities that we can use during the long hospital days that are sure to come ahead. Thank you so much for your kindness and we wish you a joyous holiday season!

In May 2026, our family’s world was turned upside down when 12-year-old Aiden was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Just one week earlier, Aiden had been celebrating one of his biggest accomplishments, earning a spot on a AAA hockey team, something he had worked incredibly hard for and dreamed of achieving. In the blink of an eye, his excitement about the upcoming hockey season was replaced with hospital stays, surgeries, and a fight no child should ever have to face. Since his diagnosis, Aiden has undergone major brain surgery, spent seven weeks in Chicago receiving 30 rounds of proton radiation, and is now bravely facing months of chemotherapy. Those seven weeks in Chicago were especially difficult, as treatment meant our family had to be separated for weeks at a time, something none of us ever imagined having to experience. Through it all, Aiden has shown incredible strength, courage, and determination, continuing to smile, laugh, and enjoy the things he loves, especially hockey and golf, whenever he can. But this journey hasn’t just been Aiden’s. His two sisters, Sophie (14) and Madeline (11), have been absolutely incredible. Not only have they watched their brother endure things no child should ever have to face, but they have also spent weeks apart from their family, missed out on precious time together, and made sacrifices that often go unseen. Despite everything, they have shown remarkable love, patience, understanding, and compassion, never losing sight of how much their brother needs them. They have been his biggest cheerleaders while quietly navigating their own fears and emotions. We are beyond proud of all three of our children and the strength they have shown during the hardest year of our lives. This Christmas, more than anything, we hope to give them a little extra joy, magic, and a sense of normalcy after a year filled with hospitals, treatments, uncertainty, and time apart. Any kindness shown to our family would mean more than words could ever express.

Our family’s world changed completely when our son Ashton was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at just 5 years old. Since his diagnosis, Ashton has endured countless appointments, chemotherapy treatments, procedures, and multiple hospital admissions many of which have taken him away from home and from his two little brothers, who miss him deeply when he’s gone. Cancer has impacted every part of our family’s life. Both his dad and I have had to stop working completely so that we can be there for Ashton throughout treatment while also trying to provide as much love, stability, and normalcy as possible for our other two boys. We have had to learn how to divide ourselves between the hospital and home, while navigating the emotional and financial weight that comes with having a child battling cancer. Through everything, Ashton continues to show us an incredible amount of strength, and our family is taking this journey one day at a time, together.