In April 2019, looking to explain her daughter’s strange symptoms, Julie Bazinet received the news that no parent wants to hear: her daughter was suffering from cancer. At the age of seventeen, Loryanne had to abandon her friends and her studies at CEGEP to cope with three months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy that loomed before her. It was a deep dive into the illness that was as dangerous as it was illuminating, supported by her medical team as well as friends and family.
On the phone, Julie Bazinet’s voice is soft and serene. A comforting voice of a mother, a protector. It’s hard to imagine that almost a year ago today, her family had just come face to face with a frightening beast who would be part of their daily life for months to come. This monster, named lymphoma, had lodged very close to Loryanne’s heart and lungs. Julie Bazinet, a mother of three, accompanied her daughter on a four-month healing journey which ended in of August 2019 with a long-awaited announcement that her cancer was in remission.
Regain strength and confidence with a therapeutic adventure
Julie talks with great pride about her daughter and the resilience that she showed during the months of illness, without avoiding the most difficult times and discouragements.
“Apart from the more demanding phases of chemotherapy on the body, Loryanne has always remained very positive, very strong. Some of her friends stayed with her, but it’s obvious that sometimes she felt abandoned and lonely. It’s not always easy, at that age, to understand everything involved in chemotherapy treatments like the ones Loryanne received. ”
When the opportunity presented itself for a therapeutic adventure with the On the Tip of the Toes foundation, Loryanne leapt at the chance to take part in the autumn adventure. A sociable person by nature, she looked forward to the experience with great pleasure. Thrilled to be able to meet people who faced challenges similar to hers, she saw this trip as an opportunity to regain confidence in her physical abilities.
As a parent, Julie Bazinet sees this wonderful experience as a positive swing of the pendulum for her daughter who had to put her life on hold and deprived herself of many moments of pleasure in order to get through the treatments. While this episode in their life created a certain closeness in their mother-daughter relationship, Julie saw this physically oriented trip as an opportunity for her daughter to reclaim her world and an intimate space of her own.
An escape into the lush surroundings of the Poisson Blanc reservoir
Feverish and excited by the adventure ahead, Loryanne took the road to the Outaouais on October 5, 2019, accompanied by nine other young people who were either in remission from or still in treatment for cancer. For three days and two nights, the group explored the beauties of wilderness in a rabaska canoe on the Poisson Blanc reservoir. Each day on the water led to an evening camp where the setting up of tents and the preparation of supper gave rise to precious moments of collaboration and sharing. These exchanges were very positive for Loryanne and led to the creation of friendships that will surely last over time. In fact, this journey with the foundation, which boosted her confidence and facilitated some important connections, was so positive for Loryanne, that she made the decision to reconnect with the adventure.
Grateful that her daughter had the chance to participate in this unique experience, Julie Bazinet is quick to recognize the dedication of the foundation team who work with heart and passion to support young people facing the upheavals imposed by a diagnosis of cancer.
The foundation manages to bring light to a dark episode in the lives of these young people. It’s wonderful to be able to illuminate their journey in this way.
In pictures
