30 years of horizon

My name is Annie Bélanger-Paquet, I’m 37 years old and I live in the Laurentians, north of Montreal. In December 2020, I was diagnosed with stage 3 aggressive breast cancer. That day, my life changed—for better and for worse, all at once. I went through a year and a half of treatments, and by the end of it all, I didn’t recognize myself anymore. My body and my mind had changed a lot.

When I joined the Getaway Expedition in May 2023 at the Poisson Blanc Reservoir, I felt like I had found myself again. The new Annie 2.0 was beginning to emerge. Surrounded by young people who had also experienced cancer, I felt like I truly belonged. The surrounding nature soothed my mind and body—it did me a world of good. In the rabaska canoe, face to the sun, surrounded by nature, I felt my heart come alive again.

Precious memories from those days still come back to me: the laughter in our tents at night, the very, very refreshing swims in the reservoir after a day of paddling in harmony, the evenings by the fire with all the girls, Catherine and her ukulele, the comforting meals that brought smiles to our faces. But above all, it was the deep and meaningful connections we built in just four days that stand out the most.

Even though we came from across the country, illness brought us together in the best possible way.

This winter, I also took part in the Double Challenges of the Two Marios. It wasn’t easy, but it was incredibly rewarding to see everyone stepping out of their comfort zones for the cause. I’m so thankful to the foundation for giving me the chance to be part of this expedition. I definitely plan to stay involved with them.