We met in 2014 through a mutual friend and married in 2016. We both studied and graduated in Ottawa – Zainab earned a bachelor’s in business and Omar a master’s in engineering—and now we work side‑by‑side at the University of Ottawa! (Zainab works in Governance and Omar is an IT Maager). Over the past decade we have lived a life full of laughter, adventure, and travel—visiting destinations such as Italy, France, Egypt, Luxembourg, Belgium, Greece, Spain, London, Germany, Austria, Holland, the United States, Canada, and an upcoming stop in Iceland—while maintaining a hybrid work schedule of three days on campus and two days at home.
Our shared emphasis on family, love, and adventure brought us together when we first met.
Zainab grew up in New Brunswick, where she spent her childhood playing outdoors with her siblings and friends. Her parents created a loving, supportive home filled with laughter, music, and encouragement. With two older sisters and a younger brother, there was always something happening — from playing the violin to family camping trips in Prince Edward Island. Zainab’s parents always showed her the importance of kindness, connection, and being there for one another. She remains very close to her siblings and parents, and they continue to gather every weekend!
Omar grew up in a close‑knit household with his parents and twin siblings. As the eldest, he became the “protective big brother” everyone looked up to, all nurtured by his parents’ constant care and support..
Our strong family bonds are something we hope to carry forward — creating a home filled with the same love, warmth, and sense of belonging that we were both lucky to grow up with.
Shortly after we were married in 2016, we were so excited to start our family. We’ve always dreamed of having a big family — we even made a list of baby names right away! However, after many tries, we haven’t yet been able to welcome a little one into our lives.
Fourteen years ago, when Zainab was 23, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and thyroid cancer. Her case was so complex that a panel of doctors had to meet to decide which cancer to treat first. After several surgeries, a round of chemotherapy, and radioiodine treatments, Zainab’s health thankfully improved, and she is now living her best and healthiest life.
Before starting chemotherapy, she took every precaution and froze her eggs. When the time came to try growing our family, we worked closely with fertility specialists. Initial tests looked positive, and we went through multiple rounds of IUI and IVF — but sadly, none were successful. Our doctors believe that the effects of chemotherapy and surgeries made it very difficult to carry a pregnancy.
After trying every available option at our fertility clinic, including several embryo transfers, our doctor recommended that we consider surrogacy. While the journey has been long and emotional, we feel hopeful and grateful to be taking this next step toward growing our family. Surrogacy represents not just our dream of becoming parents, but also the continuation of the love, strength, and resilience that has carried us through every challenge.
We live in the west end of Ottawa, in a single-family home surrounded by parks, schools, and many young families. It’s a welcoming, family-oriented neighbourhood .
We work in a hybrid environment and can work from home, which gives us the flexibility to balance work and family life. This supportive setting makes it an ideal place for us to raise our future child.
We’ve spent the past decade exploring almost every corner of Europe, and we just returned from a month-long adventure in Egypt—pyramids, mummies, and delicious food! Travel is a big part of who we are, and we can’t wait to share those experiences with our future child.
Omar is the resident tech whiz—an IT guy who somehow manages to turn every gadget in the house into a smart device. In his spare time, he loves producing YouTube videos showing his work. Zainab’s favorite part? Watching them! She swears she’s his biggest fan! Outside of that, she usually solving puzzles on the dining room table or planning the next getaway!
We’re happy to support our surrogate in every possible way—practically, emotionally, and financially. We’ve secured the funds for expenses throughout the journey.
During pregnancy, we’d like to stay in close touch, offering encouragement, flexibility, and genuine care. We understand that everyone’s comfort level with involvement is different, so we’re happy to be as hands-on or as hands-off as she prefers.
After delivery, we want her to feel appreciated, supported, and cared for during recovery. We truly see this as a shared journey and want her to know we’ll be there for her every step of the way.
We would love to maintain close and open contact with our surrogate throughout the pregnancy—sharing in the joy of milestones, celebrating appointments together, and being there to offer support and appreciation every step of the way.
After the pregnancy, we’d be happy to stay in touch and keep her updated as our family grows. We imagine sharing holiday cards, birthday photos, and little life updates so she can see how much her incredible gift has meant to us.
We can’t thank you enough for considering helping families like ours. You are truly a special person! The gift you’re willing to give is beyond words.
We would love to meet – whether it’s for coffee, in-person or by Zoom!