A family story…
Sooner or later, all families go through difficult times, and no one is immune to illness.
" Thérèse and Réal, married for over 40 years, led a peaceful life. After the joy of raising their five daughters on the family farm and welcoming the birth of their nine grandchildren, they were finally beginning to enjoy a gentle semi-retirement. All that remained was to savor their free time: cultivating the land, riding snowmobile trails in the winter, and producing delicious maple syrup in the spring."
We never imagined that a simple birthmark could turn into an aggressive melanoma. Our father, Réal, thought he had acted in time in 2020, but he was wrong. The year 2021, already marked by the challenges of the pandemic, hit us hard: shortly after his 65th birthday in August, we learned that the cancer had spread. Chemotherapy was the only way to slow, even slightly, the inevitable progression of this disease.
Réal was able to remain in the family home throughout his treatments, with his wife Thérèse by his side. We celebrated one last Christmas Eve, a little early, before his departure for the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital in Lévis on December 19th. Two days later, as if by a small miracle, a room became available at the Maison de soins palliatifs du Littoral (Hospice of the Shore). Upon arriving, he even asked, "Are we in heaven?"
The serene atmosphere and the staff's dedication were undeniable. We were able to be with our father in his final moments, together, surrounded by love and gentleness. Réal passed away peacefully on Christmas Day at the Maison de soins palliatifs du Littoral.
– Mélanie and Danielle Gagné
Before his passing, Mélanie and Danielle , the two youngest members of the family, had promised to take over the family sugar business. A promise they kept no less than a month later. Snowshoes on, they completed the 2022 sugaring season in his honor. And so began a wonderful adventure: "2 Soeurs à la cabane (Two Sisters at the Sugar Shack)" becoming the third generation of maple syrup producers in the family.
Wanting to give back to the organization that had provided so much comfort to their father, the two sisters decided to launch a fundraising campaign. Choosing the Maison de soins palliatifs du Littoral (Hospice of the Shoreline) was a natural choice. During this fundraiser, for every item sold by the two sisters at the cabin, 30% of the profits will be donated to the Maison de soins palliatifs du Littoral .
Thank you for contributing to the success of this campaign. Thanks to your support, other families will also be able to get through these difficult times with peace of mind and receive the invaluable support of dedicated staff who provide excellent care until the very end.