My name is François Bazinet, and I’d like to share my family’s story with you.

On March 9, 2022, our little girl, who was 2 years and 9 months old at the time, was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor—stage 4 yolk sac cancer with metastases to the lungs.

We never would have imagined that our child would be “the one” out of 400 to develop pediatric cancer before the age of 15, with a chance of remission estimated at about 70%. At that moment, we knew our family was about to face one of the worst trials of our lives—one that would change us forever. Waking up every morning wondering if our child is going to be okay, hoping she’s comfortable, despite the four walls of the hospital and the multitude of treatments, tests, and medications she must undergo to feel better and fight the cancer. Despite everything, our little girl never ceases to amaze us with her zest for life, and when we see her fighting like a champion.

After four cycles of chemotherapy between March 2022 and May 2022, as well as surgery (removal of the coccyx and the tumor) in July 2022, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief, because our little girl is finally considered to be in remission.

During our routine checkup in August 2022, we noticed a small lump in the groin area. That feeling of fear is back again. After some blood tests, the doctor told us that the cancer had returned and that they would need to perform a much more aggressive surgery to ensure the tumor wouldn’t come back (removal of the rectum and two sacral vertebrae), as well as four more cycles of chemotherapy. This surgery, performed in October 2022, resulted in a colostomy that may be permanent. The chances of remission were reduced given the relapse. We continued to hold on, because our little girl never stopped showing us just how strong she was through it all. She went through some tough times with the treatments, but she kept smiling and wanting to play. In December 2022, after those four cycles of chemotherapy and the surgery, our little girl was considered to be in remission.

During our routine checkup in August 2022, we noticed a small lump in the groin area. That feeling of fear is back again. After some blood tests, the doctor told us that the cancer had returned and that they would need to perform a much more aggressive surgery to ensure the tumor wouldn’t come back (removal of the rectum and two sacral vertebrae), as well as four more cycles of chemotherapy. This surgery, performed in October 2022, resulted in a colostomy that may be permanent. The chances of remission were reduced given the relapse. We continued to hold on, because our little girl never stopped showing us just how strong she was through it all. She went through some tough times with the treatments, but she kept smiling and wanting to play. In December 2022, after those four cycles of chemotherapy and the surgery, our little girl was considered to be in remission.

During our routine checkup in June 2023, we learned that her tumor markers had risen slightly. At that point, we were confident that everything was behind us and that it was probably just a minor virus. But a blood test, a PET scan, and a biopsy confirmed that the tumor had returned in a different location. This second relapse devastated us.

The doctors have many questions and continue to look for ways to treat this cancer without jeopardizing my little girl’s quality of life. They’ve decided to go with a much stronger course of chemotherapy, which carries more long-term risks, but they have no choice but to take this route, as it’s the last chance before we have to consider living with the disease. In November 2023, we received confirmation that she was now in remission. This little girl has taught us so much about life. Despite her young age, she’s teaching us life lessons that are changing the way we view things in general. She is now 7 years old, and her little brother is 4.

To make sense of all this and to give our story a more positive outlook than it has had in recent years, we want to offer our support to all children with cancer. That’s why, for the fourth year in a row, we’re holding a fundraiser to benefit the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, whose mission is to give all children with cancer the best chance at recovery by funding research and supporting the development of projects dedicated to pediatric hematology-oncology.

This cause is very close to our hearts, and we want to do this for all the little warriors fighting illness. So, as part of our Halloween party, we’ll be handing out lots and lots of candy and asking for donations to support the cause.
To come cheer us on in person:
In Saint-Dominique, on Impasse de la Caillade