toronto vaccine prom

Someone in Toronto threw herself a vaccine prom and wore a ballgown for her shot

People in Toronto haven't exactly had many excuses to dress up in their finest attire over the past 13 months — or any at all, for that matter — but one resident turned her vaccine appointment into the event of the year and chose her outfit accordingly.

Travel vlogger Izzy Mohamed tells blogTO that the inspiration to throw herself a "vaccine prom" came from her mother, who's been a nurse for more than 25 years.

"My mom, Claudia Toto-Mohamed, has been giving out the vaccine for months," she says. 

"She would come home from shifts and tell us about the 80-year-olds who were dressing up for the vaccine because it was the first time they were leaving the house in a year and [they] wanted to celebrate this milestone by dressing up for it."

Mohamed, who loves to dress up, says she also saw an opportunity to bring a smile to the faces of the healthcare heroes like her mother who are working tirelessly to help Ontario get through the pandemic.

She then reached out to Fitzroy Rentals, and they agreed to lend her a full-length designer ballgown to wear to her vaccine appointment.

"The goal of partnering with Fitzroy was to bring a smile to the nurses like my mom during their shift, encourage others to get the vaccine in a celebratory way and bring joy during these hard times," she says.

And it seems she accomplished her goal. 

"The healthcare workers were overjoyed seeing the dress and it made them smile during their shifts," she says. "I just imagine how exhausted they must be, but they all got giddy seeing me in the gown."

Mohamed says the experience was more uplifting than she could have imagined, and she even posed for a photoshoot with the CN Tower in the background in true prom fashion.

She adds that it felt great to be able to bring some joy to the healthcare workers, including and especially her mother.

"My mother has been a nurse for over 25 years. She has primarily worked as a palliative nurse which has been extremely difficult," she says.

"I saw her ask to be a part of the vaccine rollout because she wanted to help during COVID. I have gained a newfound respect for my mother after watching her response to COVID and I am so proud to say I'm her child."

Lead photo by

Izzy Mohamed


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