A young patient clutches her crocheted monkey with a prosthetic leg as she’s wheeled into surgery, bravely telling the medical team that she would look just like her new friend afterward.
The preschooler, diagnosed with cancer and facing a below-the-knee amputation, has found courage through her “medical monkey.”
Her parents had struggled to explain such a life-changing surgery. But the monkey, fitted with the same prosthetic she would soon have, gave her a way to understand and accept what was coming. She carried it to every appointment, asking doctors to demonstrate IVs and feeding tubes on her toy first.
This young patient’s journey is the heart of , an initiative that grew out of the mix of skills—and the deep friendship—of four medical students at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine.
Compassion through crochet
Medical Monkeys was founded by MD2027 students Maya Morcos, Amir-Ali Golrokhian-Sani, Angela Li, and Bassam Jeryous Fares. Maya brought her medical and crochet knowledge, and her peers contributed expertise in 3D printing, biomedical sciences and pediatric care.
“Each person had a different skill that made this possible,” Maya explains. “This project is a mixture of art forms—crochet and design, as well as medicine—all coming together to craft individualized Medical Monkeys from scratch for young patients.”
“This project is a mixture of art forms—crochet, design, and medicine—all coming together to craft individualized Medical Monkeys from scratch.”
Maya Morcos
— MD2027, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine
With help from classmates and community volunteers, the students crochet monkeys and fit them with custom 3D-printed devices—like prosthetic limbs, cochlear implants, glasses, joint replacements and even stomas (a detour for the body’s waste)—to help children see their medical journeys reflected in a positive, playful light.
Through his clinical rotations at CHEO, the children’s hospital in Ottawa and a teaching hospital affiliated with 糵’s medical school, Bassam had already seen how stressful procedures like prosthetic fittings or cochlear implants could be for children.
“We felt this was something that could help kids with their journey and make things a little bit easier,” he says, “When the kids see themselves reflected in their friend, it reassures them that they are not coping alone.”
“When kids see themselves reflected in their friend, it reassures them that they are not coping alone.”
Bassam Jeryous Fares
— MD2027, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine
The collaboration began with an email to the CHEO Foundation, who were excited by the idea. Their mission is to further the physical, mental, and social well-being of children and their families in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec by raising, managing, and disbursing philanthropic funds in support of CHEO, The CHEO Research Institute, and the Roger Neilson House; thoughtful donations like those provided by the Medical Monkeys team are vetted and given to the populations that would most benefit from the donation.
The team’s first drop-off delivered nine monkeys. The next? Nearly 50. Today, with more than 20 community volunteers plus five additional MD students, crocheting efforts are booming.
To identify which prosthetics would be most useful in educating patients, the CHEO Foundation works with directly with CHEO’s child life specialists—people who help children and families cope along the medical journey. Armed with this list, the 糵 student team gets to work.
The students print 3D prosthetics at the Faculty’s Health Sciences Library, which provides free access to printers and materials to the University of Ottawa community. Yarn and stuffing—the most significant costs—are covered by student grants and donations through , a club co-founded by Amir-Ali with Maya as co-president when they were undergraduates at Queen’s University, that raises awareness about social issues.
So much more than a toy
For the CHEO child life specialists, the medical monkeys are an invaluable tool. Health professionals distribute them thoughtfully, matching them based on the therapeutic value they would provide to the patient and family.
“The monkeys have become a wonderful resource that our team uses on a regular basis with patients to facilitate preparation and education,” says Cristina Chandri, herself a CHEO child life specialist. “They have put smiles on many faces.”
Play is central to how children learn and cope, Cristina says, explaining that having a toy that mirrors their own medical experience helps normalize frightening procedures.
“Hospitalization, illness, and injury commonly bring fear and sadness,” she says. “By helping a child better understand what is happening to them and what they can expect, we are able to ease those fears and reduce the risk of lasting trauma.”
The impact is felt by families, as well. Parents see their children empowered to ask questions and gain confidence.
“It seems to be a real comfort to parents to see that someone in the community thought to make this toy to support their child's journey,” says Cristina.
Dr. Gabrielle Weiler, a pediatric nephrologist at CHEO as well as professor in pediatrics and director of pediatric undergraduate medical education at the Faculty of Medicine, oversees all year 1 through 4 medical students at the children’s hospital.
“We have many wonderful, motivated medical students who lean into their profession and go above and beyond to help our patients and their families, especially our most vulnerable ones at CHEO,” she says. “It is encouraging to see the enthusiasm, compassion and initiative in the next generation of physicians.”
What’s next for the monkeys
Interest in the project has spread quickly. A new branch supported by Exhibit Change is launching in Kingston to involve Queen’s University and its local community. The founders hope to recruit new medical students, and that the model can expand across Canada.
“We would love to spread this out more if we could,” said Amir-Ali. “If we can set up the infrastructure for people across the country to get started, that will be a dream.”
They also hope to publish commentary or research documenting the project’s impact, serving partly as encouragement for other medical schools to replicate it. “We want to inspire others to start similar initiatives based on the stories and testimonials we’re gathering,” says Bassam.
“If we can set up the infrastructure for people across the country to get started, that will be a dream.”
Amir-Ali Golrokhian-Sani
— MD2027, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine
Lasting impressions
For the students, the project has been transformative.
“I’ve realized how much I love working with my hands and how toys can make such a difference for kids,” Maya reflects.
Amir-Ali nods. “Seeing the shift in children when they receive a monkey—it really reinforces my desire to work with kids,” he says.
Angela too has taken much from her participation in the Medical Monkeys project. “It has demonstrated just how important it is to remember that these patients are kids first,” she says, “which is an incredibly meaningful perspective that I would love to carry into a future career working with the pediatric population.”
“The project has demonstrated just how important it is to remember that these patients are kids first.”
Angela Li
— MD2027, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine
Bassam agrees the shift the toys can have for the kids is night and day. But really, the journey has been reciprocal.
“We started wanting to make an impact on kids’ lives. But it’s astonishing how much they’ve impacted us,” he muses.
And that young patient? She’s now completed her treatment—and still treasures the monkey that helped her make sense of her medical journey.
Each Medical Monkey carries more than yarn and plastic. It’s filled with courage and reassurance for a child that they aren’t facing their journey alone.
Want to help? The Medical Monkeys team can always use volunteers!
Have ties to a health care facility? Reach out for ideas on getting started.
Contact the team at [email protected] or find them on Instagram at .
Some details have been altered to protect patient privacy.
Main photo: MD2027 students (l-r) Amir-Ali Golrokhian-Sani, Angela Li, Bassam Jeryous Fares and Maya Morcos outside CHEO earlier this year, showing off the Medical Monkeys they crafted.
All photo credits: Medical Monkeys
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