Dominique and RĂ©jean, in front of their house in Saguenay, who’s daughter went on an expedition with the Foundation On The Tips of the Toes in 2000.
My father, Ole Gjerstad, directed “Larger than Life”, a documentary that followed one of the Foundation’s expeditions in 2000. In it, we meet a few of the teenagers, notably Marie-Hélène Côté.
Shortly after the expedition, the young woman’s cancer came back strong. Her family was then forced to move to Montreal for treatments at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
During this time in a foreign city, special friendships developed, notably with my own parents, Ole and Chantal, Bertrand the child life specialist, and a leukemia patient, Émilie Van Winden. The latter had actually given her spot on the expedition to Marie-Hélène; a bold move that would change the young girls’ lives.
By February 2001, just seven months after her expedition, Marie-Hélène would pass away quietly in her family’s house. My father was at that time finishing the documentary. In a sad twist of destiny, my own mom was diagnosed with cancer shortly after.
Roles are inverted, and Marie-Hélène’s parents offer their support, love and care. A three year battle ensues with radiotherapy and chemo. One that my mom finally lost this past December.
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Côtés for the first time. In their home in St-Bruno in Lac-Saint-Jean, we talked about our mutual cancer experiences. I also asked Réjean a few questions for the purpose of this blog:
We are in 1999, Marie-Hélène is 16, and she is diagnosed with cancer. How did you deal with the news?
We were flabbergasted. But she wasn’t and I told her: “Many don’t put up a fight. And if you don’t, I’ll kick your ass!” To which she replied: “The only the condition is that you always be by my side.”
First treatments start. The cancer comes back.
A bone marrow transplant was done in April 2000 in Montreal. In her isolation room at the Montreal Children’s, they met Bertrand Dupuis who talked to them about an expedition the coming summer with the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation. She had a stationary bicycle delivered to her room so she could train for the physical feat that awaited her. She was excited to say the least!
The expedition took place in the summer. How was she upon her return?
She wanted to sleep outside the house in a tent! She was completely changed; she was not the same young girl. She wasn’t scared of bugs anymore and wanted to head straight back to the wild. I think she had also tamed death.
Only a month after the expedition, her cancer comes back a second time.
Yes. It’s the same month that she had her head shaved by her best friends. It’s the first Shave-O-Thon. I do the same with friends to raise funds for the Foundation.
Thereon, times had become difficult with her condition?
From there, it only went downhill. The following February, she passed away. She never got discouraged though. She never cried, at least not in front of us. Despite the disease, we had our share of magical moments together. We went everywhere with the wheelchair. In fact, she always had the last laugh: “Someone’s sick here? Nope, no one is sick here” she said during her last Xmas.
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Read more on the girl who inspired the Shave-O-Thon..
