A dying mother, suffering from a devastating cancer, despairs of living the last weeks of her life without knowing what will become of her two young children while her husband has been waiting for three years for his permanent residence.
“I’m using my last strength to stay alive until he gets his visa because if I die, everything falls apart and my husband will have to start all over again,” says Ibtissem Koulali, a mother of 35 years old who was diagnosed, less than a year ago, with metastasized cancer affecting his stomach, liver, lungs and esophagus.
Photo provided by Ibtissem Koulali
Originally from Algeria and a Canadian citizen since 2017, she had already survived breast cancer in 2016. For months, she had to take care of her two boys aged one and two years alone in addition to undergoing heavy treatment. chemotherapy.
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She was finally admitted to an end-of-life care facility last Monday.
Photo provided by Ibtissem Koulali
“Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much left for very long,” explains a caregiver who asked to remain anonymous.
Double fight
In addition to fighting against illness, Mme Koulali is desperately trying to bring in her husband, Nassim Derouiche, who has been waiting for permanent residence since 2021. Several doctors had written letters to support her humanitarian request.
Last October, The newspaper reported that she submitted five tourist visa applications so that her husband could at least come see her and support her and their children. All applications were refused by Immigration Canada, which indicated that Mr. Derouiche did not meet the requirements.
Photo provided by Ibitssem Koulali
Following the article, the government finally made an about-face by agreeing to issue a temporary visa to Mr. Derouiche who was able to come to his wife’s bedside for several months.
Fear for his children
“Since then, nothing has happened. I don’t know what will happen to my children when I die,” worries the mother, while her husband will have to leave the country in six months due to his visitor visa.
According to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website, processing times extend to more than 30 months for a family repatriation file.
Faced with the situation, Mme Koulali asked in her will that her youngest child live with one of her friends and her eldest with her sister, who is studying here.
“But I would like to know that they will be with their father rather than separated with relatives,” she says, visibly exhausted on the phone.