Sheyun Zhao

Sheyun (Sherry) Zhao is the loving wife of Jian Ding for 41 years and doting mother of her twin daughters, Avrilynn and Maylynn Ding.

Sheyun entered this world on June 1, 1960, in Beijing, China. Her early years were shaped by grit, independence, and an enduring determination to make the most of what life had to offer.

She met her husband, Jian, through a mutual friend in 1984. They married a year later and moved to the United States in 1987 so Jian could pursue his studies at Michigan Technological University.

Sheyun’s intelligence, curiosity, and remarkable work ethic soon earned her a place in the university’s Master’s program. In 1989, they moved to Toronto, Canada, where she set the bar for higher education in the family, completing a Ph.D. in plant biology and a post-doctoral fellowship in immunology at the University of Toronto. She and Jian decided to make Toronto their forever home.

In 1995, Sheyun welcomed her twin daughters on Mother’s Day and embraced motherhood with the same wholehearted dedication she brought to everything in her life. Her daughters were deeply influenced by early years spent with her in the laboratory, peering at cells together under the microscope. To them, she was Superwoman: endlessly capable, giving, and always there. She was present for every milestone, celebrated achievements big or small as though they were her own, and made sure her daughters were always well-fed with an abundance of home-cooked delicacies.

Sheyun was also immensely proud of her career. She played a pivotal role in growing the SickKids flow cytometry facility from a one-woman operation into a joint SickKids/UHN facility with multiple state-of-the-art instruments and a team of skilled operators. She approached her work with the same ingenuity, perseverance, and devotion that defined every part of her life.

But perhaps one of Sheyun’s greatest strengths was the way she faced adversity.

Even after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, she met each new challenge with grace, optimism, and determination. She never wallowed in self-pity or bitterness. Her first thought after receiving her diagnosis was not for herself, but for her family—hoping that her illness would not traumatize the people she loved.

She fought for every gain and celebrated every victory: being able to zip up her own jacket, folding dumplings for her family, or receiving a stable scan. Even as she fought a devastating illness, she remained unmistakably herself. She made her family laugh, bringing lightness into moments that could have been consumed by fear and sadness. She watered her plant babies. She delighted in every bird song, every sunset, and every bite of chocolate cake. She loved being outdoors and noticed the beauty in the world around her, even on days when she was too tired to leave the house. Her positivity was not a denial of how difficult things were; it was a choice to keep living, loving, and finding joy despite them.

Sheyun often said, “我想风风火火地活，干干脆脆地走.” “I want to live life with vigor and passion, and leave it cleanly and without regret.” True to her words, she lived fully, loved fiercely, gave generously, and faced the end of her life with remarkable clarity and courage.

Sheyun will be remembered for her resilience, selflessness, humour, and her unwavering positivity. She accomplished so much in her life, but her greatest legacy is the love she gave so freely to the people around her.

She will be forever cherished and deeply missed by her husband, Jian, and her daughters, Avrilynn and Maylynn, as well as by all those fortunate enough to have known and loved her.

Her life was full of purpose, her heart was full of love, and she leaves behind a family who will carry that love with them always.

In lieu of flowers, we kindly ask for donations in memory of Sheyun Zhao toward the research efforts by two clinician-scientists who quarterbacked her care.

Donations to Sunnybrook Foundation may be made here: https://donate.sunnybrook.ca/tribute

For designation, please indicate "Other" and in the empty field fill out "CNS Oncology - Dr. Dinakaran"

Donations to Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation may be made here: https://supportthepmcf.ca/ui/Memory/donations/start

For "Area to support", please indicate "Alan Brown Chair."