I was 38 years old, with two children aged 5 and 7, and a thriving career when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2020—no family history, no symptoms.
When they say cancer doesn’t discriminate… I, who thought I was invincible, felt the greatest fear of my life.
After a breast exam that revealed nothing abnormal, my gynecologist still suggested I get an ultrasound and a mammogram. It was during these exams that a hidden, non-palpable mass was discovered. Stage 2, aggressive cancer. Normally, the mass would have been detected later—maybe too late. I’m telling you, we cannot stress enough the importance of early detection.
After the shock and fear, my first instinct was to build a support team to complement my medical treatments and help me achieve my goal: to heal and get through the treatments with as few after-effects as possible.
So, after a partial mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, followed by lymph node removal, and throughout 25 days of chemotherapy and 33 days of radiation, the Quebec Cancer Foundation came into my life. It was an organization I had heard of but didn’t know much about. A mission so human, and one you participate in every time you donate!
In this season of generosity, an anonymous donor has agreed to double the donations received as part of the Foundation’s year-end campaign, up to $25,000. I can assure you that, whatever the amount, your donation is always quickly used to help people whose lives have been turned upside down by cancer.
To make a donation by phone or for any questions, contact us:
Donor Services
1-877-336-4443
[email protected]
Organization’s registration number: 107391963 RR 0001
There are many good reasons to support the Foundation, and I’m sure you have your own. As for me, I find it wonderful to have the opportunity to access a wide range of complementary therapies under one roof. I benefited from massage therapy, kinesiology, and acupuncture, all provided by oncology-trained specialists. Each discipline affected on my body differently—one with my lymphatic system, another one with my energy and digestion, and the third one rehabilitating the movement of my arm after surgery. COMPLEMENTARY benefits.
I want to emphasize the notion of complementarity. This is not, as we sometimes hear, alternative care—a word that suggests you choose between different options. When facing cancer, there are no choices to make. You take everything that can help you feel better. Complementary therapies do make a real contribution to well-being and vitality.
Dr. Christian Boukaram, an oncologist practicing integrative medicine, says: “We’ve come to realize that conventional treatments are better tolerated, in part, when the synergy of complementary therapies reduces side effects.”
Integrative medicine is a forward-looking vision, and promoting more openness and dialogue in Quebec will be one of my future missions. A mission where the Foundation and I are once again aligned. That’s part of why I served as the provincial ambassador for La marche du Grand défoulement last year. I see it as a wonderful event that celebrates the deeply human vision of the Foundation, and it’s accessible: anyone can show up and join the movement. Because, when facing such a great enemy, we must act.
To make a donation by phone or for any questions, contact us:
Donor Services
1-877-336-4443
[email protected]
Organization’s registration number: 107391963 RR 000
Writing the book Un cancer en cadeau : apprendre, comprendre et s’outiller pour agir (Cancer as a Gift: Learning, Understanding, and Equipping Oneself to Act) was my way of helping those who will face the same challenge as me. Just as your support for the Foundation is your human, generous, and optimistic way of standing in solidarity with those affected by cancer and their loved ones. You are among those “gift” people who, without knowing it, supported me on this journey.
Thank you for donating today which will be worth twice as much to so many people.
I wish you a very happy holiday season!
Sophie Reis
Author, speaker, and ambassador for the Quebec Cancer Foundation (among other things)
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Help us spread even more hope the holidays. Make a donation that will be worth 2 X more* and change the lives of every patient and their family.
*Donations are doubled until December 31.
