Meet the CHEO Champion honoured with a trip to Disney World and a shopping spree
The latest CHEO Champion has been crowned.
- Sign up now for our daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
17-year old Fatima Diallo will represent the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) patients in the community as well as at Children’s Hospital Week in Florida in April.
"I think it's really important to share our stories. I like educating people about matters such as sickle cell disease and CHEO," Diallo told CTV News Ottawa.
At a young age, Diallo was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia. Since she was nine, she has been receiving care at CHEO and a few years ago, received a bone marrow transplant from her sister.
Despite some complications and struggles, she is now pain free.
"It's really important to have someone out there to speak out for all the kids, because I know not every kid has a voice and I'm really honored to be that voice for everyone also," Diallo said.
CHEO foundation president and CHEO Steve Read says Diallo will be an excellent ambassador for the children’s hospital.
"Fatima is a wonderful young lady and we've had a chance to get to know her a little bit. And she represents an awful lot of kids that come through our doors. She is very well-spoken, very articulate, and very grateful for the time that they spent at CHEO," Read said.
As part of her recognition, she received a surprise $500 spending spree from Wal-Mart Canada.
"I didn't know it was going to be like a shopping spree and I didn't really know what I wanted. So I tried to be practical with it and not spend all my money in one day," she said.
Representatives from Wal-Mart also created Taylor Swift themed friendship bracelets for Diallo – to recognize the teen’s favourite pop star.
"It's about making those connections with the children so they know that we're here to support them as well. And we wish them nothing but the best for their futures," said Trevor Edwards, manager of the Wal-Mart location on Baseline Road.
As for her trip to Disney World, Diallo hopes to overcome her fear of rollercoasters, but does have a favourite ride in mind – Space Mountain.
"I always feel so great whenever I'm surrounded by the CHEO Foundation. They just make me feel like such a winner. And I love representing all the kids at CHEO, and I'm just so grateful to have this honor," Diallo said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Galen Weston pushes back on 'misguided criticism' of Loblaw as boycott begins
Loblaw chairman Galen Weston, as well as the company's new chief executive, pushed back on what they called 'misguided criticism' of the grocer as a boycott against the company gains steam online.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
'Giant-killer' Kazushi Kimura to race in Kentucky Derby this weekend: 'I'm representing Canada and Japan'
Six years ago, at age 18, Kazushi Kimura left his home and family behind in Hokkaido, Japan to chase a dream. This weekend, he'll ride in the Kentucky Derby.
Quebec premier asks police to dismantle camp at McGill University
Quebec Premier Francois Legault has called on the police to dismantle the pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the lower field of McGill University's downtown campus in Montreal.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada’s financial-crime watchdog has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.